Metamorphosis
by circa1994
Summary: The gang of five become Sharpteeth.
1. Chapter 1

Littlefoot was playing hide and seek with his friends in the sheltered paradise of the Great Valley. He ran about, looking for a good hiding place. Noticing what appeared to be a small cave in the side of the valley wall, he walked over to investigate. As he was about to enter, a small flattoothed flyer landed in a tree next to the young longneck. " Ha ha me found you!", Petrie laughed. " Yes you did.", Littlefoot stated. " Petrie look at this." Littlefoot began walking into the cave to explore it. " Umm, maybe Petrie should go get others first?" "Yes that is a good idea Petrie." The flyer nooded and took to the air to find the rest of their mismatched herd.

" What was so important that we all had to come here immediately?", Cera stated, somewhat annoyed. " I found this cave in the valley wall here. It looks like that earthshake last week uncovered it.", Littlefoot said. " Lets go check it out!", Littlefoot began heading into the cave, followed by Ducky and Spike. " Uuuhh, me just wait out were for you.", Petrie said. " Oh come on you scaredy egg!", Cera said loudly as she entered the cave. " Wait, don't leave Petrie all alone out here!", Petrie said as he began flying after the group.

After walking through the rather straight cave for awhile, the group came to a halt at a small pool of water next to a rock wall. " Well this looks like the end of the cavern, me fly home now.", Petrie said nervously. " Oh calm down you big baby.", Cera said. " Ducky, you think you could swim down there and see if its short enough for us to follow you?", Littlefoot asked. " Yep yep yep." The little green swimmer said, before diving into the water. After a few seconds, she returned. "It is short enough for you to follow. It is, it is." " Well then let's go!", Cera said, jumping into the water and disappearing. The others followed her, with Petrie being the last.


	2. Chapter 2

Petrie's head emerged from the water, gasping for air. " Me no think flyers should try to be swimmers." " Come on Petrie, look at this!", Ducky called from up

ahead. Flicking water from his wings, he flew towards the voice. The rest of the gang were staring at the long dead skeleton of a large fast biter. "What do you

think happened to him?", Littlefoot asked. " Must have gotten lost down here and starved, the stupid sharptooth.", Cera said. Spike, meanwhile was sniffing the

air. " What do you smell Spike?", Ducky asked. " Probably greenfood.", Cera mused. Spike ignored her comment and began sniffing towards another pool of

water near the back of the shallow cave. Putting his head near the surface, he continued smelling the blacked puddle.

Suddenly, a large three clawed hand materialized from the surface of the pool and grabbed a hold of Spike! With a startled cry the green stegosaurus was pulled

beneath the surface of pool. "Spike!", Ducky called out, and dove into the pool to rescue her brother as the others followed her. Upon submerging in the pool,

they all felt an intense pain as their bodies began to change. Formerly flat teeth and nails became sharper and larger. Bones broke and reshaped themselves

as feathers began to sprout all over the bodies of the gang of five. Littlefoot writhed on the ground in agonizing pain as his jaws grew and his neck shortened.

Gasping in pain and exhaustion, he passed out.

Spike slowly began to stir after his ordeal. Groaning, he slowly pushed himself up onto his two legs. _Wait. Two legs?_ , he thought. Looking down at his front

feet, he saw that they had become the three clawed hands of a fast biter! Gasping in astonishment, stumbled over to pool of water to look at his reflection.

They face that greeted him was not his own, it was that of a Beaked Fastbiter! Recoiling with shock, he tripped over two nearby figures lying on the ground.

Quickly regaining his footing, the former spiketail stared at the other two sharpteeth. They were a greyish brown Short Snouted Fastbiter with a deep blue

crest and a yellowish orange Long Jawed Fastbiter. " This must be Littlefoot and Cera.", Spike thought, smelling their scents. After pecking at them with his

beak, they began to stir. " Uggh, not now daddy just a few more minutes.", the velociraptor said groggily. Littlefoot awoke more promptly, screaming when he

saw the oviraptoid therapod standing over him. This awoke Cera, who began screaming too. A nearby Tiny Biter and Sharptooth Glider were awaked by the

screaming and promptly joined in. As they looked to their sides and saw more sharpteeth, they all panicked and ran in circles, looking for an exit. Littlefoot

noticed the other fast biters weren't attacking him and paused. They all had similar colors to his friends. Could it be possible? He cleared his throat and

tentatively asked, " Who are you?'


	3. Chapter 3

Cera backed away in shock. Had that fast biter just spoke, using Littlfoot's voice? " Wh-who are you?", she asked, more frighten than she would ever admit. " It's me, Littlefoot.", the carnivore answered. The glider, tiny biter, and beaked biter all froze in astonishment. " What has happened?", Petrie asked. "Well, we all seem to be sharpteeth now.", Littlefoot said. " HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?!", Cera screamed. " Maybe it because of strange water?", Petrie ventured. " Yes, we all changed after Spike was pulleded in by it.", Ducky said. The large green-feathered beaked biter grunted in agreement. " What are we going to do now?", Cera asked. Littlefoot thought for awhile. " We could try to talk to the adults.", the former longneck said after awhile. " Looking like this?!", Cera said. " We have to try, Cera.", the short snouted biter said. " How we get out of here?", Petrie asked. _Good question._ , Littlefoot thought. "Ducky, see if you can swim back out the way we came." " Okay.", Ducky said before diving back into the water. After a few seconds, she resurfaced. " The entrance has collapsed. We are not going that way, no no no.", the tiny biter said. " Okay, Petrie see if there is any way up out of that hole in the ceiling." " Uhhh, Petrie not flyer no more.", the glider said. At that moment Petrie gasped as his body was racked by a similar pain as when he had transformed. The gliders form changed until it was that of a spike-jawed flyer. " Ow.", The others gasped in surprise. " Did you just change into some other creature?", Cera said in amazement. " It looky so.", Petrie said. " Well now you can fly up there and see if there is way out for us.", Littlefoot said. " Okay.", the now flyer said as he took off. Upon reaching the hole in the ceiling, he saw a braided vine coiled up near the entrance. _That work.,_ he thought.

Littlefoot jumped back, startled as the end of the vine landed at his clawed feet. " How are we suppose to climb up that?", Cera asked. " Well, we have hands now.", the dromaeosaurs said. He placed his taloned hands on the rope and began to uneasily climb up the rope. _Open hand, close hand, open hand, close hand._ , he thought over and over until he reached the lip of the hole and pulled himself over the edge. " I made it, you guys.", he called down. Cera, hearing this, began her ascent. _I won't look down, I won't look, I won't look down._ , she thought. Finally, she reached the top and climbed over. "Okay now Spike, you climb up.", Littlefoot called down. Ducky climbed onto Spike's shoulder and they began their ascent. The two fastbiters reached the surface and climbed onto firm ground. " Now what are we going to do?", Ducky asked. " Well we should probably go talk to our parents.", Littlefoot said. "Looking like this?!", Cera exclaimed. Littlefoot sighed. " I suppose your right." " What we do now, Littlefoot?", Petrie asked. The short snouted fastbiter thought about it for awhile. " We must leave the Great valley." The other sharpteeth gasped. " Leave the Great valley!?", Cera said, aghast. " Why we need do that?", Petrie asked. " Well, we're sharpteeth now.", Littlefoot said. " Can't we just talk to them?", Ducky asked. " Yeah, we can still speak flattooth.", Cera proclaimed. " Okay, we will go to one of the adults and explain the situation to them.", Littlefoot said.

The gang of five slowly creeped up to Mr. Thicknose's sleeping place at the edge of the valley wall. They had chose Mr. Thicknose due to his large and wide-ranging repertoire of knowledge. The five children walked up to the sleeping form of the valley teacher. Littlefoot carefully approached the Pachyrhinosaurus. " Hey Mr. Thicknose, wake up!", he shouted. Mr. Thicknose groggily opened his eyes.

" Uhnnn.", the thicknose groaned as he awoke. _Fastbiters!_ , he thought upon Littlefoot and Co. " SHARPTEETH IN THE VALLEY!", he bellowed at the top of his voice. " Wait! It's just us!", Littlefoot cried out, unaware his was speaking sharptooth. The thicknose charged at them and the fastbiters promptly fled from the flattooth. The ruckus alerted other valleians who also joined in the chase. Soon, a large crowd of leafeaters began to chase the pack. " Let's get out of here!", Littlefoot cried out as he and his friends fled out of one of the openings in they valley wall. " And stay out, you cowards!", a large olive colored threehorn shouted at the fleeing sharpteeth.


	4. Chapter 4

The pack continued their flight from their former home. " They all just chaseded us away. They did, they did.", Ducky lamented. " What we do

now?", Petrie asked. Littlefoot pondered the question for awhile. "We should find a place to rest for the remainder of the night.", the

Dromaeosaurs said, noticing the night circle's lowering position in the sky. The rest of the pack, too tired to argue, agreed. " Good night,

Littlefoot.", Cera said. " Good night, guys.", Littlefoot said back before drifting of to slumber.

Ducky awoke to the Great Circle shinning in her face. She had had the most awful sleep story. In her sleep story she, her brother, and her

friends had all became sharpteeth. Looking over at her still sleeping brother, she realized it had not been a dream. Sighing, she decided to

wake the rest of the pack. " Petrie, wake up.", she said shaking the flyer into wakefulness. " Uhh, it too early for Petrie.", the

Rhamphorhynchus said groggily. The Bambiraptor continued shaking him. " Alright me up.", he said. He became alarmed momentarily by the

presence of a carnivore before he remembered yesterday's events. " Let's wake up the others.", Ducky said. " Littlefoot, Cera, Spike, wake

up!", the two little sharpteeth yelled at the top of their lungs. Littlefoot awoke, startled by the sudden noise as was Cera. Spike still

slumbered on, unbothered by the noise. "SPIKE WAKE UP!", Petrie and Ducky yelled again. This time the Oviraptor was roused from his

slumber. Spike got to feet as Littlefoot addressed the group. " We need to figure out what we are going to do.", he said. " Which is what?",

Cera asked. " I don't know.", the Short-snout admitted. At that moment Spike's stomach growled loudly.


	5. Chapter 5

" NO! We are not doing that!", Cera shouted. It had been four risings of the Great Circle since the pack's

flight from the Great Valley. " Cera, we need to eat.", Littlefoot said tentatively. They had not eaten

since before they were turned into sharpteeth by that strange water. " Well I'm not going to just gobble

up some poor leaf eater.", the former threehorn said. " Why don't we just eat this greenfood here?",

she asked. Littlefoot paused to think for a moment. _Maybe that strange water didn't change everything_

 _about us._ , he thought. " Okay, let's try Cera's idea.", he said. He walked over to nearby sweet bubble

plant and took a small bite. It was the foulest tasting thing he had ever had the displeasure of putting

in his mouth. He promptly spat it out. " It really that bad?", Petrie asked. Littlefoot nodded. " Oh. You

hatchlings are so wimpy.", Cera said. She took a bite of the sweet bubble. It had an acrid, rotten flavor

to it. Her eyes began to water at the awful taste. She quickly swallowed it. " See? You just have to

toughen up and . . . bluggh." Cera began vomiting what ever had been in her stomach and then some.

" Are you okay Cera?", Ducky asked, concerned. Cera had never felt as sick as she had at that moment.

Whether its was the plant or the realization that greenfood was to be forever denied to them, she could

not tell. " Why, why?!", she screamed at the sky. Littlefoot put his clawed hand on her shoulder. " We

will get through this, together.", he reassured her. He looked up at Petrie. " See if you can find any . . . .

food that we can eat now." " Okay, me go look.", the spike jaw said. He took to begin his search.

After awhile, Petrie's keen eyes noticed a dead clubtail lying near a stand of trees. " Me think

that could be something we eat.", he said to himself. He returned to the rest of his friends and told

them about his discovery. " Good job Petrie. Let's go get it.", Littlefoot said. The rest of the pack

followed Petrie to the clearing with the ankylosaurus carcass. They approached the dead leaf eater

cautiously. " Are we really going to do this?", Ducky asked. " Yes we have to, Ducky.",Littlefoot said.

At that moment, a large dark green Two claw emerged from the tree stand. " Shoo pesky little biters.",

she roared angrily. " Ahhhhh!", the gang screamed and they fled back into the relative safety of the

forest. " Why didn't you tell us about the sharptooth, beak brain?", Cera shouted angrily. " Me no see.",

Petrie said. " Well what are we going to do now?", Ducky asked. " Petrie look for something smaller and

not already….claimed.", Littlefoot said. " Okay.", Petrie took to the skies again.

After yet more time, the spike jaw returned. " Me find ground fuzzies, lots of ground fuzzies.",

he said. " Lead the way.", Littlefoot said. The five friends followed Petrie to the edge of the forest and

stared in amazement at the size of the multituberculate colony. " Umm… how are we going to do this?",

Ducky asked. " Well, since you and Petrie are the smallest, the two of you could go down the hole and

scare them towards us.", Littlefoot said. " Umm, Petrie flyer, flyer no do good in hole.", the flyer said. At

that moment, much to everyone's surprise, the flyer proceeded to morph back into the glider he was

immediately after their change. " Oww.", the glider moaned weakly. Everyone jumped back, startled.

" Why do you keep doing that?", Cera asked. " Me no know.", the microraptor said. " Sure wish we had

another landwalker to go down in the burrow.", Littlefoot said. " Yeah, maybe Petrie's imaginary

sharptooth friend could help.", Cera said sarcastically. As if in answer to her question, a green-feathered

sharptooth glider materialized beside Petrie. The brown glider stared at the therapod in shock, as did

everyone else. _You asked for help?_ , the Sinornithosaurus said telepathically to Petrie. Petrie, stunned,

could only nod at the two-winged glider. " What in the name the Great Circle is that?!", Cera asked. "Me

think it imaginary friend.", Petrie said. " This is getting too weird, first we turn into sharpteeth and now

Petrie's imaginary friend suddenly appears in the real world.", Cera said. " Well at least we've someone

else to scare the fuzzies out so we can…. you know.", Littlefoot said. The others nodded and the three

little biters entered the burrow. " I don't know if I can do this, no, no, no.", Ducky said to Petrie. _Tell the_

 _Tiny Biter to butch up, unless she'd rather starve._ , the two-wing said bluntly. " That not nice.", Petrie

said. " What, Petrie?", Ducky asked. Petrie realized only he could hear what Friend was saying. " Oh,

nothing.", the glider said. He then began to smell the fuzzies just up ahead. " Okay, now we'll just chase

them and Littlefoot, Cera, and Spike do rest.", Petrie said. " Ok.", Ducky said. The trio smelt the scent of

the fuzzies grow stronger. Rounding a bend in the tunnel, they spotted a group of four ground fuzzies.

 _Kill, kill, kill!_ , said the two-wing, giving chase. Petrie and Ducky followed swiftly. The multituberculates

split up, three rushing up to the surface and one continuing forwards.

Spike saw the fuzzy and thought, _Food!_ He gave chase. His new therapod form swiftly closed the

distance between him and his prey. Swinging his large, grasping hand down, he caught hold of the body

of the small mammal. Looking at the struggling creature, he hesitated. Was he really going to kill his

fellow creature? To take its life so that his could continue? He thought about it for what seemed like a

long time. He then snapped his strong beak down on the helpless creature, killing it instantly. _I've killed_

 _plants whose words I could understand. Why now should I not do the same now?,_ he thought.

Meanwhile, Cera and Littlefoot chased after their fuzzies. Cera's long jaws snapped downward

onto the mammal, breaking its spine and killing it. Littlefoot did the same to his catch. Looking down at

the now lifeless bodies of the mammals, he paled. _What have I done?_ , he thought, sickened. His

stomach growled, as did Cera's. In the tunnels below their clawed feet, one more fuzzy scurried for its

life. There was a Glider and Tiny biter chasing after it. It rounded the corner, only grabbed by the Two

Wing. Its two pursuers swiftly caught up and pounced on it. The squealed for the briefest of moments,

then fell forever silent. Ducky and Petrie looked at one another, horrified. The two wing, however,

roared triumphantly. _Let us bring the spoils up top and see how the others fared._ , the Two Wing said

telepathically to Petrie. The glider nodded and turned to Ducky. " We go up now.", he said. " Yep yep

yep.", the former swimmer said glumly. The trio picked up their food and made for the surface.

Spike grinned when he saw his sister. He rushed over to her, picked her up, and licked her.

" Spike, that tickles.", Ducky giggled. Cera looked at Littlfoot. " Uuum, what do we do with these?", she

asked uncertainly. " Well, I suppose one of us should take a bite.", he said with equal uncertainty. They

all looked at Spike, who promptly took a beak full of the mammal's soft underbelly. _Delicious,_ thought

the Beaked Biter. He looked at his friends and nodded. Littlefoot bite a chunk out of his mammal.

 _Wonderful,_ he thought. Ducky, Petrie, and that Two Wing that had just appeared out of thin air as if by

magic were all gather around their fuzzy. _Dig in, my friend,_ the creature said to Petrie. The four winged

glider took a small mouthful of meat. " It delicious, Ducky.", Petrie proclaimed. The Tiny Biter sunk her

teeth into the intestines spilling out of the carcass. " It does taste good, yep yep yep.", the former

swimmer said, somewhat ashamed. Cera was the last one to partake in the pack's bounty. _At least it is_

 _not a leafeater.,_ she thought. Cera was a bit alarmed by how good the meat tasted and how good it

made her feel. The mismatched pack of fast biters at their meal in silence. They finished as the Great

Circle's journey came to an end, and the Night Circle's journey across the sky began. " Guys, I think we

may want to rest up for the journey ahead.", Littlefoot said. " Journey to where?", Cera asked.

Littlefoot thought about it for awhile. " I don't know.", he replied. " I really don't."

Authors notes: I would like to thank JJP007 and king of the kaiju for favoriting my story.


	6. Chapter 6

The Great Circle beat down on the young raptors as they continued their wanderings through

the mysterious beyond. " So, what we do now?", Petrie asked. " We just continue wandering?" " Petrie

is right, we must find a way to change back.", Ducky said. " And what do you propose we do, Ducky?",

Cera said. " I do not know, nope nope nope.", the greenish Tiny Biter said, sadly shaking her head.

" Then quit whining about it!", Cera roared. Spike glared at Cera for yelling at his sister. " Guys enough

already!", Littlefoot shouted. Suddenly, Spike's stomach rumbled. " Uhh, me think we might need find

more food.", Petrie said. " We ate not three days ago! Can't you control yourself?", Cera shouted in

annoyance. " Guys, knock it off. I'm sure we'll…. Spike?", Littlefoot said, looking over at the beaked biter

snuffing the air. " What is it you smell, Spike?", Ducky asked. Spike gave the others an alarmed

expression and quickly concealed himself in the tall bushes along side the narrow clearing the pack was

traveling through. The others followed shortly thereafter. After concealing himself, Littlefoot noticed a

strange scent he had never smelt before. Whether it was it was something new or just his new sniffer,

he could not tell.

Suddenly, they all heard a commotion from up ahead, heading in their direction. An old Nohorn

charged down the path with a pack of long-jawed and short-snouted fast biters in hot pursuit. The old

ceratopsid gasped for breath as the sharpteeth closed on him. The short-snout at the head of the pack

drew his arm back and flung the strange rock tipped stick in his hand at the fleeing leaf eater. It struck

its target and sunk deep into the back of the Nohorn. The old creature roared in pain, but kept running.

The hunters and hunted continued their flight, passing by the hidden fast biters and continuing down

the path.

" What should we do, Littlefoot? Should we help the Nohorn?", Ducky asked. Littlefoot sighed.

" No, Ducky. We should not.", he said. The others looked horrified at Littlefoot's answer. " We can't

just leave a fellow leaf eater to be eaten by sharpteeth!", Cera said adamantly. " Uuuh we no flatteeth

no more, Cera.", Petrie observed. The long-jaw's crest drooped at this fact. " What do we do then? Just

keep walking?" " Yes Cera. That's what we'll do.", the dromaeosaurs said. The pack left their hiding

place and continued down the path as they heard the Nohorn cry out in terror, and was suddenly

silenced.


	7. Chapter 7

" We have got to find food.", Littlefoot said. Spike nodded in agreement. Cera opened her

mouth to argue, but a sharp and painful hunger pang, caused by a week's absence of nourishment,

shut her up. " Petrie agree.", the spike jaw said. " If we must.", Ducky said, resigned to hunting another

living creature. " Okay then, now that we are all in agreement, Petrie find something, anything, that we

can eat." " Me go look.", Petrie said as he took off. " Now we'll just wait here for Petrie to locate our

next meal.", Littlefoot said. He paused, alarmed at how callous he sounded. He hoped such thinking

would dissipate upon satisfying his and his friends hunger.

" Now how me get Friend to appear again?", Petrie asked himself. _You called?,_ a voice beside

him asked. Startled, Petrie looked to his left and saw a Two-toothed Flyer had appeared beside him. He

had a green body and yellow wings, similar in coloration to the two wing. " Wow. You change shape like

me?", Petrie asked. The Dimorphodon nodded. " Okay then, let's find food.", he said. The two split up so

as to cover more ground, the Two-tooth heading towards the rising Great Circle and Petrie in the

opposing direction. After about half an hour, Petrie noticed a group of longnecks clustered around a

wide river cutting through the forest. " Food!", Petrie cried out. He hovered for awhile, partly to analyze

the potential food source, and partly to think about if he was really going to go through with this.

Killing ground fuzzies was one thing, but this was a fellow leaf eater. _Come on, let's go tell the others so_

 _that they can kill the food and we can eat it!,_ Friend exclaimed. " What?!", Petrie exclaimed, looking

around for Friend. " Where are you?", Petrie asked. _I can see what you see and you can see what I see.,_

Friend said. Petrie's eyes suddenly began seeing the thick canopy of treestars Friend was seeing. He saw

as the flyer reversed direction and began flying back towards Petrie. After a couple minutes, Friend

entered Petrie's sight. " Well, I suppose we should tell my-, our friends.", Petrie said. Friend nodded and

the two of them flew back towards the rest of the gang.

Littlefoot sat watching the skies for Petrie's return. " Are we really going to hunt our own kind?",

Ducky asked, nervous. " Maybe not. Maybe Petrie found more ground fuzzies or buzzers we can eat.",

Cera said. " I don't know if I can do this, no no no.", Ducky said. Spike gave his big sister an affectionate

lick on her cheek. " Us back!", a voice said from above. The pack looked up as Petrie and Friend alighted

on the ground beside them. " What did you see?", Littlefoot asked. " Us find longnecks! Lots of

longnecks!", Petrie said, more excitedly than he intended. " Longnecks?", Littlefoot asked, suddenly less

sure of his idea. " Still wanna go through with it?", Cera asked. Littlefoot thought for awhile. _Who should_

 _I value more? Me and my friends, or a total stranger?,_ the Short-snouted Fastbiter thought. " Yes.", he

said finally. " We have to go through with the hunt. We'll starve if we don't." Cera nodded, accepting the

situation and its inevitable solution. He looked at Spike, who nodded his approval, and at Ducky, who

nodded as well, albeit more hesitantly. He looked over at Petrie and his conjured companion. The two

flyers nodded. " Alright then, we'll take a look at the herd and try to find…. a suitable target.", Littlefoot

said.

" Are we lost Rhett?", Ali asked. " Of course we're not lost, we're just taking the more scenic

route.", the male longneck answered. " We'll find those tree sweets, don't you worry."

" See anything we can catch?", Littlefoot asked the two flyers. " We see some little longnecks in

the middle of the herd.", Petrie said. " How about any we have a prayer at catching?", Cera asked.

" Maybe if we scare them, we'll learn something?", Ducky ventured forth tentatively. " Good idea Ducky,

we'll do that.", Littlefoot said. The three maniraptors in the group rushed out of the foliage, roaring

loudly. " SHARPTEETH!", one of the adult longnecks shouted out. The younger longnecks ran

panicked into the comparative safety of the herd's center as the adults formed a defensive ring around

their offspring. " Uhhh… back to the forest guys!", Littlefoot shouted. The pack retreated back to the

edge of the forest. " Great idea, Little brain!", Cera said angrily. " We didn't learn anything, no no no.",

Ducky said sadly. " Maybe we did. Look.", Petrie said. Two of the mothers were looking off in the

distance with worried looks on their faces while the remaining parents attempted to dispel their

offspring's fears. The pack noticed this. " Maybe there are hatchlings alone somewhere?", Littlefoot said

uncertain of how he came to that conclusion. " Hatchlings?", Cera asked. " We are going to hunt

hatchlings!?" At that moment she felt another painful hunger pang. " Okay okay I'll do it!", she said.

" Alright then we'll go into the forest and try to hunt for food there.", Littlefoot said as his belly groaned

painfully.

" We are almost near the tree sweets, I can feel it!", Rhett said confidently. _I've heard that_

 _before.,_ Ali thought. They had been wandering around for hours now. " We are going to be in so much

trouble when we get back to our parents.", Ali said, looking up at the Great Circle setting.

" What do you smell, Spike?", Ducky asked. Spike sniffed the air. _I smell longneck!,_ he thought.

The Beaked Biter began gesturing to his neck and then towards the direction of the setting Great Circle.

" I think Spike smells something he does he does.", the Tiny Biter said excitedly. " What is you smell,

Spike?", Petrie asked. Spike again gestured to his neck and then held his hands apart. " You smell a

Longneck?", Ducky asked. Spike nodded and held up two claws. " You smell two longnecks?", Ducky

asked. Her adopted brother nodded. " Where are they at?", Littlefoot asked, wincing as he felt yet

another painful hunger pang. Spike pointed west. " Petrie go check it out." " Alright me go look.", the

spike jaw said. He flew up above the tree tops and turned west. _Yes let's get some meat!,_ Friend said as

he flew along side Petrie.

" Admit it. We are completely and totally lost, Rhett.", Ali said. " Alright we lost.", Rhett said in a

defeated tone. " I'm sorry, Ali.", he said. " It's alright, Rhett. We'll just rest here for the rest of the night

and then find the rest of the herd in the morning.", she said. " Okay, Ali. Goodnight." " Goodnight.", Ali

said. At that the two drifted off to sleep, neither noticing the two flyers in the trees above them.

Littlefoot silently crept forwards through the brush. The scent of their prey grew stronger. " Us

back.", Petrie said as he and Friend landed in front of the gang. " We found two sleeping longnecks."

" Led the way.", Littlefoot said. Inside he felt a morbid sense of excitement. _This it.,_ he thought . _We are_

 _really going to do it!,_ the longneck turned Fastbiter thought. The pack slowly maneuvered through the

undergrowth in the direction that they directed to by Petrie. Soon, the pack had their prey in sight.

" Alright guys. Spike, you move around behind them in case they try to run.", Littlefoot said. The Beaked

Biter nodded and began to stealthily make his way around behind their prey. Littlefoot turned to Ducky,

Petrie, and Friend. " You three hid in those tall plants there.", he said, gesturing towards some thick

underbrush off to the right and ahead of their prey. " If they run that way try to stop them.", Littlefoot

said. " How?", Ducky asked. " I don't know. Maybe you could scare them the other direction?", the short

snout offered. " Okay, that what we do.", Petrie said. " And I guess you and me will chase and try to

catch them.", he told Cera. Cera nodded in agreement. Littlefoot looked up at Petrie. " Call when your

are ready." The Rhamphorhynchus nodded and he, Ducky, and Friend headed towards their positions.

The two raptors waited until they heard Petrie's raucous call. " Lets go.", Cera said as the two of

them began their stalk towards the two longnecks. _Too late to back out now.,_ the Long-Jaw thought.

The two raptors crept silently through the vegetation, edging closer and closer to striking range. Sweat

began to appear on Cera's brow, glistening in the light of the Night Circle. The velociraptor took a few

steps forward and began to clamber over the rotten carcass of a large, fallen tree. Suddenly the tree,

propped up against a still living tree, broke apart under Cera's weight. The long-jaw and part of the tree

fell to the forest floor with a resounding crash that echoed throughout the silent night.

Ali and Rhett awoke with a start. " Wha-what was that, Rhett?", Ali asked her friend. " I don't

know Ali.", he answered. Looking out into the darkness, he saw a faint shape heading towards them. It

looked kind of like a …. " SHARPTOOTH!", Rhett screamed out. Both he and Ali got to their feet and

began to flee as fast as their legs could carry them, all the while screaming their heads off. They had to

get away, or they would die!

 _Dammit!,_ Cera thought as she quickly got to her feet while Littlefoot chased after their dinner.

Her blunder had cost them an easy kill. Now they had to chase their prey down. She ran after the two

fleeing leafeaters, obey her instincts' command to pursue and kill. " Make sure we chase them towards

Spike!", Littlefoot shouted to her. " Alright.", she said as she shifted her position out to the side to

dissuade the longnecks from attempting to split up.

Ducky, Petrie, and Friend saw the chase heading towards them and got ready. Petrie and Friend

had shifted back into protobirds in preparation of having to grapple. " Get ready….get ready….NOW!",

Petrie yelled as the three small raptors burst out of their hiding spot. The three of the promptly latched

onto the side of the closest longneck in an attempt to slow him down and at the same time steer him

towards Spike.

Spike waited nervously for their prey to rush past him. If all went according to plan, he would

simply pounce on the slower one and attempt to wrestle it to the ground long enough for his friends to

catch up.

Rhett shook his body vigorously in an effort to rid himself of the little biters clinging to his flank.

They were ripping into the flesh of his right side, causing him to instinctively veer to the left. He gave

himself another hard shake, which dislodged the three little biters. _Yes!,_ he thought. _Think goodness_

 _sharpteeth are far to stupid to…._ WHAM! Rhett gasped in pain and surprise as a heavy weight cannoned

into his scratched up flank.

Spike dug his claws and beak into the neck and shoulder of the green longneck. His muscles

strained as he pinned his prey to the ground. _Yes….food.,_ the powerfully built Oviraptor thought. He

jerked his head up, tearing away a chunk of flesh from Rhett's shoulder. The longneck screamed in pain

and terror as the fast biter ripped a piece of his neck off. Spike paused a moment at hearing the

flattooth scream. Rhett took the opportunity to wiggle free from his grasp and stumble forward a few

feet. _Got to get away, got to get away!,_ he thought frantically. Suddenly, he felt the beaked biter

pounce on his back again. The other two fastbiters caught up and jumped on his flanks, digging their

sickle claws into his sides to slow him down. At that moment the beaked biter pounced upon his back

again and sunk his beak into his throat. Rhett choked and gurgled as part of his throat was torn away.

His vision blurred as the other two fastbiters also took a couple of chunks out of his throat. His lifeblood

gushed in torrents from the gaping hole in his neck and he passed out, never to awaken again.

 **Author's Notes: So what do you think of the pack's first leafeater kill? Tune in next time to see their reactions.**


	8. Chapter 8

The young sharpteeth continued tearing into the carcass of the longneck. Not one of the spoke

as they consumed their unfortunate victim. Eventually, their hunger abated, and the six dinosaurs began

to take closer notice of who they were eating. " R-rhett!?", Littlefoot said, taking a few steps back in

shock. " What!?", Cera said, standing up, shocked as well. Spike stopped ripping into the food for a

moment. _What have we done?,_ the beaked biter thought to himself. Ducky and Petrie ceased eating as

well. Friend, however, continued feasting. " I did not want to eat Rhett, nope nope nope.", Ducky said

sadly. " Me sorry, Rhett.", Petrie said, crestfallen. _Yum. Meat.,_ Friend said happily. Petrie looked at

Friend nervously. " You no sad Rhett dead?", he asked. _Why would I be? Flatteeth, after all, exist for the_

 _purpose of filling our bellies.,_ Friend answered. _Let's continue eating._ " What did he say, Petrie?", Ducky

asked. " Him say we should keep eating.", the glider replied. Littlefoot looked at the little green two

wing. The creature looked back at him for a few seconds and then resumed eating. Littlefoot sighed.

" He's right.", he said. " What?! We can not just eat someone we know!", Cera said, argumentative as

ever. " We already are.", Littlefoot said. " YOU already are.", he added. Cera thought for a moment,

trying to come up with a counter argument. Finding none, she sighed in resignation. Nodding, she took

another bite from the longneck corpse. She shuddered as the delicious, somewhat metallic taste of

Rhett's still warm blood ran across her tongue. _How can something so horrible make me feel so good?,_

Cera thought uneasily. She looked over at Ducky who, from the expression on the little biter's face, Cera

could tell felt terrible about the pack's bloody deed. She was leaning against her brother's leg, tears

welling up in her eyes. Ducky glanced up Spike, who licked her on the cheek. " Hehe Spike that tickles.",

she said, giggling. The others chuckled at the lighthearted moment between the adopted siblings.

Littlefoot cleared his throat to get the others attention. " Guys, we need to discuss what our plans for

the immediate future are.", he said. " Which are?", Cera asked. " We need to find a familiar landmark

and figure out where we are.", the short snout said. He looked over at Petrie. " Can you fly up and try to

find out where we are?", Littlefoot asked. " Okay. Me go look.", Petrie said as he and Friend took off.

Littlefoot turned the remainder of the pack. " Now we'll just wait here for him to come back with

information.", he said.

Ali did not stop running until she reached the safety of the herd. " Ali, what's wrong?", her

mother asked in a worried tone. Ali's answer could barely be heard through her sobbing. " S-sharpteeth

attacked us in the forest!", the little pink longneck said, crying. The herd gasped in surprise and horror.

" It will be fine, Ali.", her mother said. " You're safe from those monsters now." " Where's Rhett?", his

mother asked, concerned that he was not with her. " He-he's dead!", Ali cried out, tears streaming down

her face. Rhett's mother gave a loud wail of anguish at the news that her only offspring had gone to the

Great Beyond. The others mothers of the herd gathered around her for support as the female longneck

began sobbing heavily.

The pack looked up from their meal as they heard a loud, mournful cry emanating from the

direction of Ali's herd. " What was that?", Ducky asked. " I don't know Ducky.", Littlefoot said. As the

pack's hunger was fully sated, Cera asked Littlefoot about their plans for the future. " Well, we'll all wait

here until Petrie shows back up.", he answered.

The Night Circle had reached the middle of the sky by the time the two flyers returned from

their scouting mission. " You no believe what we see!", Petrie said excitedly as he and his conjured

companion landed next to the pack. " What did you see?", Littlefoot asked, curious as to what the

spikejaw and twotooth had discovered. " We see lots of strange things. Their are lots of sharpteeth living

in lots of weird cave thingies.", Petrie said excitedly. " There even some with stick and rock things, like

we see with ones hunting Nohorn!", he added. The twotooth nodded enthusiastically. " Are you sure

you're not just seeing things?", Cera asked, doubting Petrie's fantastic tale. _She is in a wonderful mood_

 _this evening, is she not?,_ Friend asked Petrie sarcastically. " Me sure me and Friend not seeing things

that not there, just things that are there.", Petrie told Cera. " We'll check it out in the morning.",

Littlefoot said, yawning after the pack's first good meal in days. " Well, good night guys.", he said, laying

down. " Hey, we can't just go to sleep after killing someone like we just ate a Great Giving feast!", Cera

exclaimed. _Oh right, we did just have a feast, didn't we?",_ she thought darkly. " Never mind.", she said,

laying down next the remains of their meal. " Maybe we should sleep in bushes were sharpteeth less

likely to see and eat us?", Petrie suggested. " Good idea, Petrie.", Ducky said. " Much better than your

idea to sleep next to a sharptooth." " It was dark!", Petrie exclaimed. The rest of them chuckled at the

memory. The pack made their way into the bushes just off the pathway they'd been traveling on.

" See you in the morning.", Littlefoot said as he lied down and drifted of to sleep.

 **Author's Notes: Thanks to JJP007 for your review. Tune in next time to see what Petrie is babbling on about.**


	9. Chapter 9

The pack awoke to the sound of heavy footsteps. Looking up from the undergrowth where they

had concealed themselves for the night they saw, to their horror, a large Sail-Backed Sharptooth

grasping the remains of Rhett's carcass in it's long jaws and tossing it's head back. The pack's leftovers

disappeared down the large sharptooth's throat. The sharptooth then walked down the path away from

the packs hiding place. " Glad we slept off the path yep yep yep!", Ducky said as the former leaf eaters

emerged from their hiding places. " Okay guys, let's go check out what Petrie saw.", said Littlefoot.

The pack followed Petrie through the underbrush towards his supposed discovery. " Are you

sure you know the way to these supposed " Weird Caves" Petrie?", Cera asked the spikejaw with a hint

of annoyance creeping into her voice. " Yes me know way to Weird Caves, Cera.", Petrie answered.

" Cera knock it off.", Littlefoot said. " Petrie what did this weird caves look like?", Ducky asked. " They

look like rocks and wood piled on top of each other.", he said. " Some even have smoke coming out of

them." " How much further is it?", Littlefoot asked. " Not too far.", Petrie answered.

After a few more minutes of walking, the pack saw a sight none of them had ever seen before.

Rising out of the forest was this strange rock wall. Standing atop this wall were fastbiters of all kinds.

Some of them carried those strange rock-tipped sticks, others bent sticks with some sort of vine holding

it in a bent position, and yet others with more strange things the gang could not identify. " What are we

going to do, Littlefoot?", Ducky asked nervously. " Well maybe since we're sharpteeth, they will let us

in.", the short snout said. " What if you wrong, Littlefoot?", Petrie asked nervously. " Then we'll run back

into the forest.", he answered. Entering the clearing, the former leafeaters walked uncertainly towards

an opening in the rock wall. Standing on either side of the opening was a reddish Beaked Biter and a dull

blue Hidden Runner with a red crest. " Halt!", the Beaked Biter said, brandishing what looked to the

gang to be a tree brand with a smooth round stone on the end of it. " State your business, outsiders.",

the Hidden Runner said. The gang just stood there, staring nervously at the Hidden Runner's spear,

remembering seeing how easily such a thing had gone into a Nohorn's back earlier. " We are travelers.",

Littlefoot said. " We are seeking a place to stay for a short while." " Go on in.", the Beaked Biter said,

gesturing with his mace. " Thank you.", Littlefoot said as he and his friends entered the strange valley.

Their senses were immediately assaulted by many strange new sights, sounds, and smells. Off to their

right was a Crestless Beaked Biter handing a handful of shells to a Short-snouted Biter and being given

a young swimmer carcass in return, a sight which caused Ducky to shudder nervously. " Welcome to

Cuauhtla City, weary travelers." Startled, the gang turned around to see dark green Quilled Fast Biter

with what appeared to be the skin of some poor leafeater draped over his shoulders. " My name is River

and I'm the proprietor of this fine establishment here.", he said, gesturing towards a nearby building.

" The five of you look like you could use a rest, how'd you like to purchase a room for a few days?"

" Uhh, maybe later.", Littlefoot said as he and his friends walked past the fast biter. " This valley or 'city'

as these sharpteeth call it is one weird place.", Ducky said. " Well it is full of sharpteeth.", Cera said

disdainfully. " Uh Cera you forget we sharpteeth too.", Petrie said. Spike sniffed the air. _So many strange_

 _and wonderful new scents.,_ he thought. Looking to his right, he saw a Hidden Runner exchanging shells

with Small Clawed Fastbiter for what looked like the tooth of a Swimming Sharptooth attached to a

piece of wood, as well a piece skin that looked like it was shaped to go around the tooth. Over to his left,

he could smell fish being roasted over a fire. Looking over he saw a Four-winged Glider exchanging a

couple of cowries with a Two-toothed Flyer for one of the fish. " This place is amazing.", Littlefoot said,

looking about him at all the strange new sights surrounding him and his friends. Glancing down one of

many pathways around them, Littlefoot saw a female Short Snouted Fast Biter holding a hollow reed to

her lips and blowing into it. A most pleasing sound began to fill the ears of the young sharpteeth and

they decided to stop and listen for a while.

" Has there been any sign of the children?", Grandma Longneck asked Tera, Petrie's mother.

" No Louisae , there has not.", Tera said shaking her head sadly. The sadness was easily visible in faces of

both Louisae and her husband, Ajax. " Any news?", Ducky and Spike's mother asked as arrived at the

meeting place. " None, Laka.", Tera replied. " Well then we need to keep searching!", Topps said loudly.

" We will, Topps. We just need to keep searching and continuing to have hope.", Ajax said. " I'm sure

that they will be okay when we find them." The adults were all gathered around the meeting place,

discussing how to go about finding their missing offspring.

After listening to the sound of the hollow reed, which they learned was called a flute, the pack

continued exploring the city. They saw a pair of Short Snouts wearing clay medallions with a forest

drawn on it carrying away a babbling One-Claw. " I see Silenus has been too far into his cups yet again.",

said an older Hidden Runner standing next to them. The gang turned to look at him. " Hello young ones,

my name is Vulcan. I'm a local weapon smith.", he said. " Care to see my wares?" " Uhh…..sure.", said

Littlefoot. The gang entered the building. " Wow.", Cera said as she looked at the many dangerous

looking implements hanging on the wall. " I'm having a sale on knives this week.", he said, gesturing to

an assortment of stone, bone, and wooden implements. " Here have one made in the costal style." He

held up a carved piece of wood with the teeth of a Swimming Sharptooth attached along one edge of

blade. " Also, I have a very nice selection of slings and bows of all sizes. Perhaps you'd like to buy one?",

Vulcan said, looking at Ducky. " Maybe later.", said Littlefoot. The gang walked further down the street,

passing by a building with a most pleasing scent emanating from inside. Glancing inside, they saw

several fastbiters seated around a large, flat piece of wood. They were all eating and drinking from what

looked like hollowed out gourds. They noticed one of them taking a leaf and rolling some cut up plants

in it. He then took two stones and struck them together over a bundle of dried plants setting on the

table. The gang gasped in astonishment as a few sparks flew from the rocks caused the dried plants to

catch fire. He then carefully picked up the burning bundle and held it against the chopped up plants

inside the leaf. The plants began smoking and the fast biter put the end of into his mouth and began

blowing smoke. " This place is amazing.", Littlefoot said as he looked about the city.

After a few hours, the gang came across a bunch of young sharpteeth years younger than them

seated in front of a large, flat piece of slate. " Okay class, this is the letter H.", said the female Short

Snout standing in front of the slate. She drew a square with a horizontal line through it. " What are they

doing?", Petrie asked. " I don't know, Petrie.", Cera said. " Let's sit here awhile and watch.", Littlefoot

said, staring interestedly at the board.

After sitting in on the lesson on the alphabet, the gang noticed the Great Circle had rose to the

middle of the sky. " Petrie, can you go see if you can find us some where to sleep this night?", Littlefoot

asked his flyer friend. " Alright me go look.", the Rhamphorhynchus said. He spread his wings and took

to the air. _This is certainly a wondrous places is it not, Petrie?,_ said Friend as he materialized to Petrie's

left. " Hi Friend.", Petrie said. The Two-toothed Flyer nodded in greeting. He began sniffing the air. _Wait_

 _here.,_ he said as suddenly went into a steep dive. " What you doing?!", Petrie asked, alarmed at Friend's

sudden and swift drop in altitude. _So that's what smells so good.,_ Friend thought as he dove towards a

skewer of roasted meat that a vendor was about to hand to a customer. " Hey!", both the shocked

vendor and customer said as the flyer snatched the meat out of the vendor's claws as he was handing it

to the customer. Friend quickly gained altitude with his ill-gotten gains, grinning happily. _This stuff is_

 _great!,_ Friend said, as pulled a bite of meat of the skewer. He offered a piece to Petrie, who took it.

" You right, it delicious!", Petrie agreed. As they finished their snack, the two continued their search for

a sleeping place for the night. Flying low over one of the streets, they stopped to ask a Tiny

Three-clawed Biter directions. " Hello, young ones.", he said as the flyers landed on his booth. " Can I

interest either of you in some ground fuzzy pelts?" " Umm.. no. We looking for place to spend the night.

Have you suggestions?", Petrie asked. " Well what's your price range?", the Dilong Paradoxus asked

Petrie. " Price range?", Petrie said, the words sounding foreign to him. " Yeah, how many cowries do you

want to have to part with?", the vendor asked. " Not many." Was his answer. The Tiny Three-claw

chucked a little. " Well in that case I suggest somewhere down on Sand Creeper Lane. There's a few

places down in that slum that'll only charge you a shell per body per night.", he said. " Okay. Where

Sand Creeper Lane?", Petrie asked. " North, down by that foul smelling river that runs through part of

the city." " Okay, thanks." With that, Petrie and Friend took to the air and headed back towards the

pack.

" We have to give people shells if we want shelter for the night?", Cera asked. " Yep, Cera.",

Petrie answered. " Sharpteeth are so weird.", she said. " How do we go about getting shells?", Ducky

asked. " Don't know, but me got directs to place that let us stay for one shell each.", Petrie said.

" Okay.", said Littlefoot. " Now all we need are shells." At that moment, a Long-Jawed Fastbiter walked

over towards the middle of the crowd and began shouting loudly. " Need laborers for work in a Sweet

Bubble yard!" " Five cowries if you work until the Great Circle sets!" Littlefoot looked over at the

shouting Velociraptor and grinned. " And there's how we are going to get them.", he said. " How's that,

Littlefoot?", Ducky asked. " By taking that Long-Jaw up on his offer." " Okay.", Ducky said. Littlefoot and

his friends walked over to the fastbiter. " We'd like to work for shells.", he told the fastbiter. " Alright,

follow me.", he said. The pack, along with several other fastbiters, followed the Long-Jaw to the edge of

the city. " Wow. That's a lot of sweet bubbles.", Cera said. " Why do sharpteeth bother with growing

greenfood?", Ducky asked. " I don't know, Ducky.", Littlefoot said. Glancing over at a nearby Slender

Jaw, he attempted to get its attention. " Psst, hey." " Yes, can I help you?", the Slender Jaw asked. " Why

are we picking greenfood we can't eat?", he asked. " Because, my uncivilized fellow, if you crush them

up and let them rot for awhile, it becomes a most pleasing intoxicant.", the Sinosauropteryx said.

" Okay.", Littlefoot said. The pack continued their work until the Great Circle began to set. " Alright,

work's over.", the Short Snout overseer shouted. " Line up to receive your pay." The gang got in line to

get the shells they had labor for the past several hours. When they got in front of the overseer he

handed each of them five shells. " Alright guys.", Littlefoot said, yawning. " What do you think about

going to find that 'slum' that biter was talking about and finding shelter for the night?" " Good idea,

Littlefoot.", Ducky said tiredly. " Petrie, you think you can find that 'foul-smelling river' that sharptooth

was talking about?", Littlefoot asked. " Me think me can. Me be back soon.", Petrie said before taking

off.

Petrie took off, looking for Sand Creeper Lane. He looked down at the city, searching for the

river that was spoken of by the Three-clawed Biter. Eventually, he saw what looked like a small river

flowing down the middle of the street. It was greenish-brown and appeared to have excrement and

other foul debris floating in it. " Okay. Me guess that Sand Creeper Lane.", he said to himself. Flying

down towards the river, his nose was soon assaulted by some of the foulest odors imaginable. " It very

stinky.", he said to himself. Landing on top of a wooden wall standing in the middle of the clearing

between the buildings, he looked around at the sharpteeth milling about. _Me guess me should asked_

 _sharpteeth about sleeping place.,_ he thought. " Um…hello.", he said to a Long-Jawed Fastbiter looking at

the message board. The fastbiter looked up. " Hello, young one. What can I do for you?", he asked

politely. _He seem nice.,_ Petrie thought. " You know good place to sleep around here?", Petrie asked,

trying not to sound nervous. " Well, Mylitta's Hospitality is certainly an alluring place, if you know what I

mean.", the fastbiter said. " How much it a night?", Petrie asked. " Six shells.", was the answer. " Any

places for one shell a night?", Petrie asked. " Yeah, their pest-infested shit heaps, but at least you'd have

a roof over your head.", the fastbiter said, chuckling. " Could you direct me to the best one of those?",

he asked. " Hmmm….of those one shell a night places, I'd say Kahena is the least bad. Beware of some of

one shell a night females there though.", he said chuckling. " Where Kahena at?", Petrie asked. " On the

Northernmost end of Sand Creeper Lane.", he answered. " Place with the two red Short Snouts painted

on the front of the building, ya can't miss it." " Alright, thanks.", Petrie said, taking off to find the others.

" So, where exactly is this Kahena sleeping place?", Cera said. Petrie had flown back to inform

the rest of the gang that he had found them a sleeping place for the night. " It this way, sharptooth me

ask says you can't miss it." Eventually, the gang found a building with the unmistakable forms painted on

the front of it. " Why is there a picture of sharpteeth doing **that** on the front of the building?!", Cera said

loudly upon seeing the place they'd be sleeping that night. " Petrie said that the sharptooth said it was

only one shell a night to stay here.", Littlefoot said. Suddenly thunder boomed and lightning crackled

overhead as the skywater began pouring down heavily. The gang quickly retreated into the building to

avoid being soaked to the skin by the skywater. " Uhhggg.", Ducky groaned as the stench of alcohol, piss,

and unwashed creatures assailed her sensitive nostrils. " Well the picture on the outside is definitely

reflective of what is happening on the inside.", Littlefoot observed, looking over at a few pairs of

fastbiters off to the side of the room. " What can I do for you five this evening?", a pale yellow Beaked

Biter said, walking up to them. " We'd like a place for the night.", Littlefoot said. Spike grimaced at all

the strange, new, and, in some cases, downright unpleasant odors surrounding him. Sniffing the air, he

finally found a slightly better smelling scent in a hollowed out gourd. Picking the vessel off the counter in

front of him, he sniffed the contains. They smelled of blood and sweet bubbles. " If your planning on

drinking that, it'll be a shell.", the female Beaked Biter said. Spike quickly handed her one of his shells

and proceeded to take a sip of the liquid in the jug. _This stuff is pretty good.,_ he thought. " It will be a

shell each for the night.", the Beaked Biter told them. " And that's if your planning on sharing the room

amongst yourselves." " Okay.", Littlefoot said. The pack followed her, stepping over and around some of

the intoxicated patrons they saw laying on the floor. They walked down long hallway with these strange

rectangles of wood evenly spaced out along the walls.

Eventually, they came to a stop. The female Beaked Biter removed a strange, curved piece of

wood from the piece of hide wrapped around her waist. She inserted it into another piece wood on the

rectangle and lifted it up. The pack heard a faint click as the door was unlocked. She turned around and

handed the piece of wood to Littlefoot. " Here is your key and enjoy your stay.", she said before walking

back down the way they had come. The pack entered the room. It was a fairly small space with leafeater

skins laying all over the floor. " So this is where we're spending the night?", Cera asked. " Yep.", said

Littlefoot. " What are we going to do if some of those sharpteeth out there come and try to kill us in our

sleep?", she asked. " Well, I suppose we could put that piece of wood across the door there.", Littlefoot

said, gesturing to the plank of wood leaning against the wall and what looked like holders for it on either

side of the door. " Sound good to Petrie.", Petrie said. " Me feel nervous in here. Flyers not good in small

spaces." Suddenly, his form changed into the glider he been on few previous occasions. " Owww, that

feel weird, very weird.", he moaned. " Well, let's the put wood across the door.", Cera said. She picked up

the heavy plank and placed it across the door. Spike took another swig from the jug in his hand. " What

in that hollow gourd anyway?", Petrie asked. Spike offered the jug to the little Glider, tilting the open

end down. " Hay, this stuff is pretty good.", the glider said. " Let me try.", said Ducky, who promptly took

a swallow. " This makes me feel good, yep yep hic.", she said, hiccupping a little. " Let me try.", Cera

said, taking the jug and drinking some of the potent liquid inside. She then handed it to Littlefoot, who

also drank some the fermented liquid. " Wow.", he said, coughing a little. The gang continued passing

the jug of alcohol around until it was empty. " Well, hic good ni-hic, Littlefoot.", Cera said, before

collapsing into a snoring heap on the skins. " Ha ha hic.", Littlefoot said before he to fell drunkenly to

the floor. Spike looked around and saw that he was the only one still conscious after their unintentional

drinking binge. Shrugging, he swallowed the remaining contents of the jug and laid down. Sleep swiftly

greeted the drunken Fastbiter. They all slept peacefully, unaware of the coming storm.


	10. Chapter 10

Spike groggily opened his eyes. _Ugh.,_ he thought. This had to be the worst headache he'd had in

his life. _Nature seems to be calling._ He stood up and walked to the door. He fumbled around with the

board barring the door. Eventually, he got it out of the way and opened the door. The young fastbiter

walked down the hall and entered the foyer where there were still several drunken sharpteeth

intertwined on the floor. He reached the doorway they had went through when they'd first arrived and

exited the building. Walking up to the stinking river, he proceeded to relieve himself. _As bad as that_

 _water smells, I doubt anyone will notice.,_ Spike thought. When he had finished returning the wine he

had rented, he turned to go back to the pack's sleeping place. Whack! Spike fell to the ground, his head

gushing blood. The Beaked Biter groaned as he looked up at his attacker, a Flat-toothed Fast Runner.

The Dryosaurus rose his wooden club over his head to strike again. He swung the weapon down onto

Spike's stomach, winding him. The leafeater struck the sharptooth a third time. Spike instinctively

lashed out with his claws, sinking them into the fast runner's flanks. " Ahh!", the fast runner screamed

as his opponent's talons found their mark. Spike followed up by biting the leafeater's shoulder. As he

tore into the dinosaur's flesh, he saw another fast runner rushing in from his flank, with one of those

stone-tipped spears clutched in his hand. The leafeater drew back his arm and flung the weapon. Spike,

now quite frightened, pushed the fast runner in his grasp out in front of him like a shield. There was a

sickening crunch and a gurgling cry as the obsidian head sunk into the fast runner's spine. The beast

went limp in Spike's grasp as the leafeater breathed his last. The young fastbiter had no time to either

savory his victory or lament the death of the fast runner as its partner rushed towards him, clutching a

sharp looking black stone, similar to the one affixed to the spear shaft, in his hand. Spike put his hands

up to block the incoming strike, catching his attacker by the wrists. " Die, monster!", the herbivore

yelled as attempted to force the point of his weapon into Spike's chest. The two struggled near the edge

of the sewer for a few seconds before Spike, using his greater strength, shoved the flattooth into the

river of sludge. _Must warn the others!,_ Spike thought as he rushed back towards the building. As him

entered the building, he heard a sloshing sound behind him. _He's out of the river now. Must hurry!,_ Spike

thought as he dashed down the hall towards their room.

Littlefoot was having a most pleasing dream. He was back in the Great Valley, playing hide and

seek with his friends with not a care in the world. Sudden, a loud noise awakened the former longneck

from his slumber. " Spike?", he said as his friend charged through the door. The Beaked Biter promptly

slammed the door closed. Littlefoot stared on in shock as he heard the sound of stone and bone

cracking, along with a cry of pain. Spike reached through the door crack and jerked the Fast Runner's

head in between the door and the frame. He then savagely slammed the door on the leafeater's head

over and over again. The noise awoke everyone else who looked on with shock and horror as Spike

proceeded to turn his enemy's head into jelly. He eventually stopped and just stood there staring at the

leafeater's skull, which had been split open like a melon. " Sp-Spike wh-what happened?", Ducky asked,

terrified. Spike, breathing hard, turned to his sister and began relating what had just happened to him.

" The fast runner attacked you?", Ducky asked, astounded. Spike nodded and held up two of his claws.

" Two fast runners attacked you?", Ducky gasped. Spike again nodded and gestured for his friends to

follow him. He lead the outside to where his other assailant's body was laying. The pack looked at the

spear sticking out of the creature's back. " Wow.", Cera said, amazed by Spike's victory. Suddenly, a

smooth stone flew out of nowhere and struck her in the rear. " Ouch!", she shouted. She glared over in

the direction the rock had come from, seeing another fast runner whirling something around over his

head. " Die sharptee- urk!", he shouted before falling to the ground, an arrow protruding from between

his shoulder blades. The gang looked around them in shock as several sharpteeth stepped out of the

darkness. " Are you five alright?", a Short Snouted fastbiter at the head of the group asked them. " We

are evacuating this area of the city. Please go back to your rooms and collect your belongings. We will

alert the other residents." " Why, what's going on?", Littlefoot asked the other Short Snout. " Those

stupid leaf lickers are going to launch another attack.", he answered. A horrified expression came across

Ducky's face as she contemplated being attacked by leaf eaters. " What if we don't want to leave this

place?", Cera asked defiantly. At that moment, she was struck yet again in the tail by a slung stone.

" Ow!", she screamed as a Hidden Runner drew back his bowstring and loosed an arrow towards the

Fast Runner aggressor. " Okay, okay we'll leave!", Cera shouted angrily. The pack headed back to their

room and gathered up the shells they'd earned the previous day. " How are going to carry this?", Ducky

asked. " We could put them in gourd.", Petrie suggested. " Good idea, Petrie.", Littlefoot said. The gang

put their money in the gourd and recorked it. They then left their room and headed out of the inn.

" This way. Follow us.", a Beaked Biter said to the growing procession of evacuees trailing

behind the soldiers. The pack joined the crowd and followed them. " Any idea where we're going?",

Ducky asked nervously. " Wherever these sharpteeth are going.", Littlefoot said. " You okay, Spike?",

Ducky asked, looking at the wound on Spike's head. Spike nodded, reassuringly licking Ducky on the

cheek. The walked along with many other fastbiters of all shapes, sizes, and colors. After awhile they

arrived at a much better looking and selling part of the city. " Alright everyone remain calm.", a Quilled

Fast Biter wearing leather armor said. " We will push those leaf licking herd animals out of our fair city

before the Night Circle rises again!", the greenish Unquillosaurus shouted confidently. The crowd

cheered at his declaration. " We now asked for volunteers to aid in the defense of the great city of

Cuauhtla!", he shouted. There were many loud yells and cheers as several sharpteeth, some carrying

weapons, stepped forwards. " Should we volunteer?", Petrie asked. Littlefoot thought for few seconds.

" Why not?", he said finally. Cera glared at him. " If we volunteer, we might be able to get out of here

quicker.", Littlefoot said. " How so?", Ducky asked, looking at him quizzically. " Well, we will be able to

move freely about.", he answered. " Why don't we just stay here until-ahh!" Ducky's last words were

drowned out by her scream of pain as an arrow sliced pass her tail, nearly impaling the appendage. The

pack all looked up in the direction the flint-tipped missile had come from to see a fast runner who had

scaled a nearby building and was now picking off sharpteeth. The pack ducked as another arrow zipped

over their heads and struck a Crestless Beaked Biter in the throat. Spike glared up at the flattooth who

had dared to attack his sister. His eyes began to turn a reddish color as he grabbed the bone-tipped

javelin that the Crestless Beaked Biter had been carrying and flung it with all might at the archer.

 _Yes!,_ the leafeater archer thought as his arrow struck home. _Another dead sharptooth!_ He

nocked another arrow to his bowstring and took aim at the group of young sharpteeth below him.

 _Schluk!_ The fast runner gasped as a slender javelin pierced his lower intestines. He fell backwards,

clutching the haft of the spear that would soon end his life.

The pack stared at Spike, astounded and a bit alarmed by his third kill in the span of less than

one night. Spike's eyes returned to their normal purple color as he stared down at his bloodstained

claws. _What's happening to me?,_ he thought, frightened by the ease with which he had just struck down

a fellow leafeater. " That was a marvelous throw, friend!", the green Quilled Fastbiter who been

addressing the crowd earlier said. " How'd you like to join the city guard?", he asked. Spike shook his

head No. " You sure? We could use a strong young fella like you. And the pay is pretty good too.", he

said. " 15 shells a day." Spike looked over at the rest of the gang. As much value as these sharpteeth

placed on those little shells, this could be worth their while. " If we did join could we leave anytime we

wanted?", Littlefoot asked the Fastbiter. " Why of course.", he answered. " Though you should probably

know that those leaf lickers have surrounded the city and cut off travel to and from the city." Cera

groaned at this. " Any chance of them leaving soon?", the former threehorn asked. " No.", the guard

answered. " Well, I suppose we will join the guard, until we can leave this place.", Littlefoot said. The

others stared at him, theirs jaws hanging open in shock. " Good, report to Barracks 46 as soon as

possible to receive training.", the guard said, handing Littlefoot a roll of papyrus. The guards turned

around and headed towards another part of the city that was under attack.

After the sharpteeth left, the gang turned and glared at Littlefoot. " What in the name of the

Great Circle did you just do?!", Cera shouted loudly. " I don't want to fight leafeaters nope nope nope.",

Ducky said. " Petrie agree with Ducky.", the glider said. " Spike, what do you think?", Cera asked. The

Oviraptor stared at the blood staining his claws and thought. _I don't know if I wish to kill my former kind,_

he thought. _But I suppose there is no way to avoid it with our bodies the way they currently are._ He

looked at his friends and nodded. " Well, I suppose we've all said our piece.", Littlefoot said. Suddenly,

that Two-tooth that Petrie seemed to summon appeared in front of them. _What about me?,_ he asked.

The rest of the pack jumped back a little in surprise upon seeing the creature just appear in front of

them. " Hi Friend.", Petrie said, hugging his conjured companion. " Why does that creepy little monster

just appear out of nowhere?", Cera asked. Petrie ignored Cera's remark. " What do you think we should

do?", he asked. _Let's go kill some of those stupid food beasts!,_ he said excitedly. _It would also be fun to_

 _get ahold of some of those deadly looking objects that these sharpteeth have._ " Uhh, him say we should

we should join.", Petrie said. " So are we all in agreement that we should join?", Littlefoot asked. The

pack, despite their reservations, nodded. " Alright then, let's go see this 'Barracks 46' and make our final

decision.", the dromaeosaurs said.


	11. Chapter 11

"Are you sure about this, Littlefoot?", Cera asked in an annoyed tone as the gang searched for  
the Barracks 46 that the sharptooth had told them of. "Yes, Cera.", Littlefoot said. "Me think you should  
have discussed it with us before agreeing.", Petrie chimed in. "Why do you think they want us to go  
there?", Ducky asked. "Probably so they can get Spike to kill more leafeaters.", Cera quipped. The pack  
looked over at Spike. He was trailing behind the rest of them, staring at his blood stained claws. I just  
killed three leafeaters, he thought. And I feel nothing. This thought alarmed Spike for a few seconds.  
They tried to kill you, you've do nothing wrong., another part of his mind said. Who would rather see  
dead? Them or your friends and family? "Spike, are you okay?", Ducky asked her little brother. The  
Beaked Biter looked down at his adopted sister. He bent his head down and licked Ducky on the cheek.  
"Hee hee Spike, that tickles.", she giggled. "Petrie can you and your friend fly ahead and search for this  
Barracks 46 we are supposed to find?", Littlefoot asked. "Okay we go look.", Petrie said. Okay now how  
we change before?, he asked himself. Suddenly, he felt his body change. His jaws lengthened and his  
wings changed from feathers to skin. "Ow.", he said after it was over. It seem to hurt less., he observed.  
Petrie glanced over at Friend, who had also changed. It seem when me flyer, Friend also flier., the young  
sharptooth thought. The two flyers flapped their wings and rose into the air. As they gained in altitude,  
Friend looked over at Petrie. This is becoming quite exciting, is it not?, he asked. Me no know if exciting  
is the word me would use., Petrie replied.  
After about half an hour of flying, the two sharpteeth fliers still had yet to locate the enigmatic  
Barracks 46. Let's ask one of those fast biters down there if they know where to go, Petrie suggested.  
Friend nodded and the two of the began their descent. "Hey there.", Petrie said to the Long-Jawed  
Fastbiter they had flown down to. "Hello.", the grey-feathered female said. "Do you know where  
Barracks 46 is?", he asked. "About twenty lengths towards the rising circle.", she answered. "It has the  
number painted above the entrance in red." "Twenty what?", Petrie asked. "Lengths, as in length of a  
Long-Jawed Fastbiter.", the female answered. "Okay, thanks.", the flier replied. "What 46 look like?"  
"Like this.", she said, reaching behind the booth she stood at and pulling out a piece of charcoal and a  
sheet of papyrus. She drew ==HHNN lll lll on the sheet and handed it to the little flyer. "Thank you.",  
Petrie said as he flew back into the air. He and Friend took off again and swiftly regained altitude.  
Now let's find it and then go tell the others., Friend said. They looked down at the city, searching for the  
barracks. Look there!, Friend exclaimed, gesturing towards a large and tall structure twice as tall as the  
buildings surrounding it. Above the large entrance, painted in red, was the number 46 just as the  
fastbiter had written on the sheet of papyrus. "Alright we found it!", Petrie said jubilantly. "Now let's go  
inform the others."  
"Ya think Petrie and that weird green thing have found that place yet?", Cera asked. "I don't  
know Cera.", Littlefoot answered. The pack had decided to sit along the street and wait for Petrie and  
Friend to return, hopefully with directions to whatever Barracks 46 was. "We back!", a voice above them  
cried out. "Did you find it?", Littlefoot asked. "Yep we found it!", Petrie answered excitedly. "Well, lead  
the way then.", Cera said.  
After the pack had walked along the streets for about half an hour, Cera began to get irritated.  
"Are you and that Two-tooth sure you know where we're going?", she said. "Me sure, we ask  
sharptooth for directions.", Petrie answered. "And we're just going to trust this sharptooth?" "Cera,  
knock it off.", Littlefoot said. "We're sharpteeth now too in case you forgot." "There it is!", Petrie  
shouted excitedly. He gestured off in the distance at the low wall made of felled trees that surrounded  
the large stone structure. "See it have weird marking like sharptooth described.", he said  
enthusiastically, pointing to the lines on the sheet of papyrus he held. "So what are we going to do?",  
Ducky asked. "I guess just walk up and ask to join in.", Littlefoot said uncertainly. "Unless someone has a  
better idea?" The rest of the pack shook their heads. "Well let's go then." The young fastbiters walked  
steadily towards the large stone edifice. "What exactly are we going to at Barracks 46?", Ducky asked  
nervously. "I have no idea Ducky but the fastbiter said we'd get 15 shells a day, which, with the value  
these sharpteeth seem to place on them, means we won't go hungry.", Littlefoot said. "Me agree with  
Littlefoot.", Petrie said. "Are you sure you want to fight for sharpteeth?", Cera said. "Cera, we've killed  
and eaten a leaf-eater. We are as much of a pack of fastbiters as any other.", Littlefoot retorted back.  
Unable to come up with a reply, Cera fell silent.  
The pack of leafeaters turned sharpteeth approached Barracks 46 cautiously. Ducky was almost  
hiding behind Spike's leg. Friend gave Ducky a look that appeared to be a combination of amusement  
and contempt. "Halt!", shouted one of the two sharpteeth guarding the entrance. The blue feathered  
Crestless Beaked Biter pointed a dagger made from the end of a Spike Nosed fish's bill at the  
approaching group. Littlefoot and company stopped, eyeing the weapon nervously. "State your  
business.", the other sharptooth, a red feathered Short Snout ordered, keeping the bone point of his  
spear aimed at the group. "We're here to join.", Littlefoot said, trying to keep his voice calm. "Then  
enter, young ones, we could use all the help we can get.", the blue feathered one said. The red one rose  
his spear point up and allowed the six sharpteeth entry.


	12. Chapter 12

The pack looked about at the interior of the barracks, noting the many fastbiters sparring with

various deadly looking implements. Hearing a pained cry, the young sharpteeth looked over to their left

and saw a young Long-Jaw clutching his left arm, which appeared broken. The orange feathered Beaked

Biter that had struck him lowered her club and motioned for a nearby Hidden Runner. A green

feathered Troodon removed a roll of some form of white material from a skin bag draped over her

shoulder and a stick and proceeded to bind the sharptooth's broken limb to the stick. "What have you

gotten us into, Littlefoot?", Cera asked. Littlefoot looked at the injured sharptooth, a little less sure of

his idea than he was a little while ago. "Ah there you are.", a voice from their left said. The pack turned

to see the Quilled Fastbiter from earlier walking towards them. "Hello.", Littlefoot said. "Welcome to

Barracks 46. I would like to thank all of you for joining in the defense of our fair city. My name is Green

Scale.", the older sharptooth said. He looked over at Spike. "That was certainly an impressive victory,

young one. May I ask how many such fights you have been victor of?", he asked. "None before now,

nope nope nope.", Ducky said, shaking her head. "Can the Beaked Biter not speak for himself?", Green

Scale asked, looking at Spike. Spike shook his head slowly. "So do all of you wish to join up?", he asked,

looking the motley pack over. The gang of former leafeaters glanced at one another. Ducky and Petrie

both had nervous expressions on their faces, while Friend's mouth was split into a toothy grin. Cera's

countenance betrayed annoyance at their predicament whilst Spike and Littlefoot seemed to have

accepted the situation. "Yes we do.", Littlefoot said. "I must hear them each say it individually.", Green

Scale replied. _Is food provided?,_ Friend asked. "He want know if food provided.", Petrie asked, gesturing

to Friend. "No, but there are places nearby that sell food.", Green Scale answered. "However, we do

provide shelter." "Who are these young ones?", a pale-feathered Beaked Biter asked as she pinned a

brown-coated Short Snout to the floor and held her bone dagger to his neck. "New recruits, Ghost.",

Green Scale said. "We're taking biters of their age now?", Ghost asked, pulling the Short Snout to his

feet. "Yes, we are.", Green Scale replied. "How leaf-eaters get in? You have high walls.", Petrie asked.

"The leaf-lickers had a threehorn and a club tail. They had the two of them batter down one of the

gates." "A threehorn?", Cera asked, getting nervous. _There's no way these little sharpteeth are going to_

 _defeat a threehorn. No way at all.,_ she thought. "Where are they now?", Ducky asked, somewhat

fearfully. "We killed the club tail by digging holes in the street and hiding in them. When she passed over

our hiding place we stabbed some poisoned spears into her guts.", Ghost said, grinning happily at the

memory. "What did you mean when your asked if your where taking biters of our age?", Cera asked, her

dull orange head feathers raising slightly. "We usually wait until fastbiters are fully grown before we

allow them to join.", Ghost explained. _Ask them when we get ahold of the dangerous objects and learn_

 _to use them, all this talking is getting boring.,_ Friend said to Petrie. "He want know when we learn use

dangerous objects.", the spikejaw said, gesturing towards Friend. Ghost looked down at the little

two-tooth. "He sounds quite eager. Good.", she said. Ghost walked over to the wall surrounding the

sandy interior space of the barracks. She selected three wooden staves the length of a fastbiter and

three the length of a Tiny Biter. Returning to the gang of six, she tossed the three longer ones to Cera,

Spike, and Littlefoot, chuckling as they scrambled, unsuccessfully, to catch them. "Hey! Sharpeye!", she

shouted at the top her lungs towards the grey-feathered Small Claw whirling a braided cord over his

head. He let go of one end of his sling, sending the smooth stone sailing through the air towards a circle

painted on the wall. The smooth peddle struck the center of the circle with a resounding _crack!_ "Yes,

Ghost?", he asked as he turned around, fixing his purple eyes on the new arrivals. "Yah mind coming

over here and teaching these smaller sharpteeth?", Ghost asked. "That sounds like fun.", the

buitreraptor said as he wrapped his sling around his waist. He picked up four woodened staves

appropriate for a dinosaur his size from a nearby pile and approached the group. "You three, with me.",

he said curtly, pointing towards Ducky, Petrie, and Friend. Glancing back at their friends nervously, the

three sharpteeth followed Sharpeye towards an area off to the side, separated by a wooden fence that

reached up to a fastbiter's knee. Sharpeye walked through the opening with his trainees following close

behind. "There now that we are relatively safe from being trampled by our fellows, let's begin.", he said.

He tossed each of them a stick. "Now imitate what I do.", he said. He held his stick over his head. The

three imitated his motion, with Petrie accidentally hitting Ducky in the side of her snout. "Ow.", Ducky

said, rubbing the spot where she was hit. "Me sorry.", Petrie said apologetically. "This is the high parry,

you should do this when an enemy attacks your head and shoulders.", Sharpeye said. "Now this is a

lower parry, do this when an enemy attacks your torso." He shifted his stave's position to where it

covered his chest and belly. His pupils again mimicked the motion. "Now this another low parry.", he

said, placing the butt of his staff on the ground.

A couple yards away, Ghost was giving the larger fastbiters similar instructions. "Now the

method by which you attack your opponent will vary depending on what weapon you have at hand.",

she explained. "If you have a spear, you should strike them with the point.", she said, demonstrating a

thrusting motion. The three fastbiters imitated her movements, albeit less fluidly. "Good, if you have a

blunt weapon or cutting weapon of some sort, you should strike them with the heavy or sharp end.",

Ghost said, sliding a curved, flat headed club out of a skin sash around her waist. She made a cut with

the weapon. "Now attack me.", she told her pupils. Cera gave the sharptooth a cocky smile and swung

her stave at the Beaked Biter. Ghost parried the strike with the stave in her left hand and made a quick

strike aimed at Cera's face. The former threehorn gasped sharply as Ghost's wahaika stopped inches

from her cheek. "You attack without regard towards your defense.", the Beaked Biter scolded,

withdrawing her club from in front of Cera's face. "Now you, short snout.", she said, sticking her club

back into her sash. Littlefoot, after witnessing Cera's swift defeat, was more cautious. He made a high

thrust with the end of his staff, retreating as he did so. The feint caused Ghost to take a step back.

Littlefoot swung his stick at his opponent's feet, hoping to knock her down as he had seen his

grandparents do the few times he had seen them fight sharpteeth. The pale Oviraptor leaped over

his attack with ease, swinging her staff downwards. Littlefoot grunted in pain as the wooden stave

wacked him across the head. Dazed, he did nothing as Ghost swept his feet out from under him. "One

should never attack their opponent's feet in such a way that leaves themselves unguarded.", Ghost

advised. "And now for the good looking one.", she said, turning to face Spike. He gulped as she assumed

a high guard. He mirrored her stance and waited for the first blow. It came in the form of high cut aimed

at his head. The was a _crack_ as Spike narrowly parried the blow. Ghost withdrew her staff and thrust the

end into the former spiketail's belly. He grunted in pain as he retreated a few steps. _What do I do?",_ he

thought nervously. Suddenly, remembering what had worked against prior opponents, he got an idea.

Shifting his grip on the stave to where he thought he remembered it being when he'd thrown the spear

that had struck down the fast runner archer, he drew his arm back. Guessing his plan, Ghost held her

staff vertically at her center. Spike pushed arm forwards, releasing the spear as he remembered doing

earlier that evening. The blunt missile sailed through the air for the three or so yards between him and

Ghost as he crouched down and prepared to pounce. His instructor's eyes widened in surprise as the

stave hurtled towards her. Holding her staff vertically, the fastbiter deftly swung her weapon out to the

left and knocked the stick out of the air. Returning her attention to Spike, she startled to see the heavy

set Beaked Biter flying through the air towards her. "Oof!", she gasped as the well fleshed raptor

slammed into her, knocking her to the floor. Spike paused as he crouched atop his fallen instructor.

Taking advantage of his hesitation, Ghost swiftly drew her club. "Yah!", she shouted as she stopped her

swing a few inches from his face as she had done we Cera. "Excellent job, young one!", Ghost praised as

she got to her feet. "Just make sure you do not hesitate when finishing.", she added as she returned her

wahaika to her sash.

Meanwhile, Sharpeye was fending off strikes from Petrie, Ducky, and Friend. Petrie thrust his

staff forwards, only for Sharpeye to set it aside and strike him on the head. "Ouch!", he exclaimed as he

backed up. The Small Claw parried a thrust from Friend and kicked Ducky in the stomach, sending her to

the floor. The Tiny Biter groaned as she clutched her aching belly. Petrie made a high swipe, which

Sharpeye easily ducked. He swung his leg out, sweeping his feet out from under him. The Small Claw

swiftly whirled around to parry a high strike from Friend. The Two Wing made another heavy strike,

forcing Sharpeye to take a step back. As Friend rose his weapon to strike again, Sharpeye darted

forwards, inside of his student's guard. The Two Wing rammed the haft of his weapon into his

instructor's chest, sending back a few paces. Shifting his grip towards the end of the stave, Friend made

a high strike at his opponent's head. Sharpeye blocked the blow and grabbed his student's staff. Pulling

Friend's wrist against his staff, he levered his student's weapon from his grasp. Suddenly, Friend's now

empty hand curled into a fist, which he promptly rammed into Sharpeye's face. Stunned by surprise and

the force of the blow, the Small Claw put up no resistance as Friend leapt on him, pushing him to the

floor. Pinning his instructor down, he roared triumphantly in his face. Grinning at his victory, he stepped

off of Sharpeye. "Excellent.", the Small Claw said as he got to his feet.

"Oww!", Cera shouted as she was struck in the face by Ghost's staff. She retaliated with a low

thrust into the Beaked Biter's belly, sending her back a few steps. Pressing her attack, she charged

forwards, ramming her head into Ghost's stomach. "Oof.", the Beaked Biter breathed out as she was

knocked over. Cera rose her staff up, preparing to strike again. Ghost rose her hand in surrender. "Good,

young one.", she praised. She got back up and pointed to Littlefoot. "Now you, Short Snout.", she said as

she held her staff like a spear. Littlefoot mirrored her stance and made a midline thrust at her. She

parried the strike and made a high thrust, which her student evaded by leaning his head back. Ghost

pulled her staff back and made another thrust. Littlefoot batted the wooden pole aside and thrust at her

feet. She jumped back and swung down at his head. He blocked the blow coming from his left side.

Littlefoot noticed that the butt of his staff was in line with his opponent's face. Thinking quickly, he

thrust forwards, nailing Ghost right between her pale blue eyes. She stumbled backwards, falling flat on

her back. Groaning, she began to sit up, only to find the butt of Littlefoot's staff pressed against her

throat. "Good young one.", she said as the fastbiter withdrew his staff.

Petrie gasped as Sharpeye swept his feet out from under him. He fell on his back as his

instructor whirled around to parry a thrust from Ducky. Sharpeye retaliated with a thrust of his own

forcing Ducky back a step. Petrie jumped to his feet and swung hard at Sharpeye. There was a

resounding _clack_ as the Small Claw blocked the blow. "Huh?", he said as Petrie's tail fan obscured his

vision. He gasped in pain as he felt a hard object connect forcefully with his groin and he dropped to his

knees. "You okay?", Ducky asked, worried she injured the instructor. "Nice hit.", Sharpeye replied, the

praise in his voice contrasting sharply to the pain on his face. He got to his feet, leaning on his staff.

"Let's try using missile weapons now.", he said, gesturing towards the circle he had been slinging stones

at earlier.

"Spears at the ready!", Ghost ordered loudly. The line of fastbiters in front of her lowered the

ends of their staves in unison. "Ranks together!", she barked as the sharpteeth bunched closer together.

 _Never thought I'd be standing shoulder to shoulder with so many fastbiters.,_ Cera thought. A loud call

from overhead caught everyone's attention. A small Hairy Flyer flew over the training yard. "The

commander says to get some rest. Training will resume at first light.", the flyer called out in a voice

that sounded too loud and deep to come from a creature of that size. "You heard him, you bastard

hatchlings of flatteeth! To the barracks!", Ghost shouted, before turning on her heel and walking

towards one of the protrusion running along the walls of the structure. The tired group of sharpteeth

followed the pale-feathered Beaked Biter to a door cut into the wall. ""Set your staves against that

wall there.", Ghost said, gesturing to either side of the entryway. The tired sharpteeth did so as they

entered the building. The pack followed suit. Looking around, they saw what looked to them to be reed

nests on wooden ledges between small tree trucks. Littlefoot climbed into the bottom one with Cera

taking the one over him. Spike picked Ducky up and set her on his shoulder as he climbed up into the

bunk above Cera. "Ow. Watch it.", she hissed quietly as Spike accidently stepped on her tail. The

Oviraptor grunted in apology as he swung his leg over the side of the bunk. Petrie looked up towards the

top of the bunks. _Now how me do this?",_ he thought, wondering how he was going to do whatever in

the name of the Great Circle caused him and Friend to go from gliders to fliers. He groaned at the

sudden pain that had preceded his past transformations wrack his body as his arm feathers joined and

became skin, whist his jaws lengthened and his teeth became the outward jutting spikes that gave the

spikejaws their name. He glanced to his side, seeing that Friend had changed to. They both rose into the

air with a clap of their wings, neither noticing the astounded stares of the other sharpteeth they shared

the room with. "Good night guys.", he said to his friends below. "Good night.", they answered back as

Friend's form became more translucent and dissipated into Petrie's body. The tired flyer closed his eyes

and within moments was sound asleep.


	13. Chapter 13

Cera's eyes shot open as she heard a loud trumpeting echoing through the barracks. _Why do they have to blow that Great Circle dammed thing to wake us up,_ she thought grumpily." Pull 'em in and get up, we got more training to do!", Ghost bellowed at the top of her lungs.

"Uhh Petrie still tired.", Petrie groaned as he lazily glided to the floor.

"You flyer!", Ghost shouted, pointing at Petrie.

"M-m-me?", Petrie asked, trembling fearfully.

"Yes you, Grey Wing wants to see you, Snapper here will lead you to him.", she said, gesturing to the Two-Tooth that hovered next to her. "The rest of you dull-clawed hatchlings will follow me!" Petrie looked nervously at his friends as Ghost tapped her foot impatiently.

"Just go with her and we'll see you later.", Cera said.

"We will won't we?", Ducky added, wringing her hands nervously.

"Don't worry hatchlings, he'll bring your friend back in better shape than ever.", Ghost said. "Now let's move!", she ordered Petrie. Petrie rose into the air and began following the Two-Tooth. He looked back at his friends, who smiled reassuringly. He turned back towards the Snapper and flew after him.

"Any sign of them, Ptera?", Ducky's mother asked.

"No, Saro. It's like they've just disappeared.", Ptera, Petrie's mother, replied. Saro hung her head.

"I suppose we should head back to the valley and let Ajax and Louisae know that we haven't found their grandson yet either.", the swimmer said. As the two turned to travel back home, Saro looked up at the Great Circle raising in the east. _Please let them be safe,_ she thought nervously.

Petrie followed close behind Snapper as the light blue Two-Tooth flew away from the training arena. _What Grey Wing what Petrie for?,_ he thought nervously. The two sharpteeth flew up to the top of the barracks, landing in front of what looked to Petrie to be a covered flyer nest. "So… who this Grey Wing?", he asked, twitching his long tail nervously.

"An old mystic.", Snapper replied, his foreclaw stroking the bone handle of his knife as he approached the entrance to the nest.

"Come in young one.", an eerie voice uttered from inside the nest. Petrie gulped as he tentatively crawled towards the entryway, which was covered with flyer wing membranes, much to the former leafeater's horror. Petrie grimaced as his form shifted from flyer to glider. He looked about as he entered the creepy nest, seeing the walls lined with bones, shiny stones, and other things he could not identify.

"Wh-where you at?", he stammered fearfully. A noise above him had his head snapping upwards. His spike-lined jaws fell open as he saw an old Pouched Throat Flyer, her feathers grey with age, hanging from the ceiling.

"So you're the shapeshifter the captain spoke of.", she said, descending to the floor in front of Petrie. He shuddered with fear as the sharptooth placed a foreclaw on his forehead. "Hmmmm….how interesting.", she said, removed her hand from the younger sharptooth, who exhaled in relief. "You may leave Snapper.", she said, looking at the younger flyer.

"Yes Ma'am.", Snapper, raising into the air with a clap of is wings. Petrie and Grey Wing watched the flyer leave, Petrie's tail feathers dusting the floor nervously. Now that they were alone, the old sharptooth flyer picked up a pinch of herbs and rolled them in a leaf. She snapped her claws, producing a minute flame. She held the fire to the end of the rolled herbs, setting them alit. Holding the smoldering roll to her mouth, she drew a breath in, then let it out, blowing out a puff of smoke which contorted itself into many different shapes before the astounded eyes of Petrie.

"So tell me about yourself, former leafeater.", she said, drawing another puff of smoke into her mouth as Petrie shuddered nervously.

"Nock!", Ghost shouted. The four young fastbiters in front of her clumsily set the ends of their arrows to their bow strings. "Draw!" With some straining, the inexperienced trainees pulled the their bow strings back. "Loose!" The arrows darted forwards, all missing their marks. "Again!", she shouted. Four more arrows were nocked, four more bows were drawn, and four more arrows hurled towards the target. "Good young ones!", She said, praising the blue-crested male and green tiny biter. Both their arrows had struck near the center of the wooden target, while the other two had struck closer to the edge of the target, rather than the center. "Now let's try slings." She walked over to the pack and took the bows and arrows, handing them each a sling and a pouch of stones. Ghost unwrapped her own sling from her wrist and produced a smooth stone from the pouch secured to her leg. She loaded it into her multi colored sling and whirled the weapon over her head a few times before releasing one of the thongs, sending the rock sailing through the air into the center of the target. Her students mimicked her actions, sending their own stones towards the target.

"Yes! I hit it!", Cera exclaimed happily.

"Good, you hatchlings may soon be ready.", Ghost mused.

"And that how Petrie and friends become sharpteeth.", Petrie said, finishing telling Grey Wing the story of how he and his friends had become sharpteeth.

"So how does it feel to be a member of the superior species?", Grey Wing asked.

"Superior species?", Petrie repeated.

"Yes, you don't see the flatteeth creating things like this, do you?", Grey Wing asked, waving his claw at their surroundings. "Now about that friend of yours, the one that just appears and disappears."

"Yes what about him?", Petrie asked.

"Could you summon him for me?"

"Me no know how do that.", Petrie said.

 _You called?,_ Friend asked, appearing next to Petrie.

"Ah, there you are.", Petrie said.

"Hmmm…interesting.", Grey Wing said as he placed a hand on Friend's forehead. "What an unusual familiar spirit."

"Familiar spirit?", Petrie asked, curious.

"Yes, spirits that can be called into the material world at the behest of someone with magical powers.", the older flyer answered. "Now what caused you to go from a flattooth to a sharptooth?"

"A strange pool.", Petrie answered.

"What sort of strange pool?"

"A strange pool that have big hand!", Petrie exclaimed.

"Hmm…where've I read about such a thing before?", Grey Wing asked herself.

"Read about?", Petrie asked curiously.

"Never mind about that for now.", Grey Wing said. "Try doing this.", she asked, conjuring a small light in her hand. Petrie stared in amazement at what looked like a miniature Great Circle rolling around in the sharptooth flyer's hand.

"Wow.", Petrie breathed out , staring at the little ball of light.

"Now you try.", Grey Wing said as extinguished the light. Petrie stared at his own claws and attempted to concentrate.

 _There's the barracks,_ thought the flattoothed flyer as she circled over the building. Turning to her two wing mates, she nodded. The two younger flyers looked back at their riders and nodded. The fast runners seated atop the flyers checked the ropes that secured them to their mounts, then nodded. The flyers began their dive as the fast runners nocked arrows to their bowstrings. _Time to die, flesh-eating scum,_ the flyer thought happily as she drew closer to her target.

"Excellent!", Ghost said as two arrows and two slingstones smashed into the center of the target. "Soon you'll be ready for combat, young on-ahhh!", she screamed as an arrow shot from the sky and grazed her arm. Everyone gasped in shock as they looked up. Three large flattooth flyers circled overhead, their riders nocking arrows to their bows. "Go get Grey Wing and White Crest now!", she shouted at a nearby spikejaw.

"Yes ma'am!", the flyer said loudly, saluting with his blowpipe. He slung the tube onto his back and leapt into the air to fulfill Ghost's order.

"Me did it!", Petrie exclaimed excitedly as a yellow orb appeared in his claws.

"Good, very good, next we'll…", Greywing started to say, before light green spikejaw burst into the room.

"There's three flattoothed flyers with archers attacking the barracks!", the messenger gasped out.

"Come along Petrie and I'll show you some more potent magic.", she said, following the messenger out of her dwelling. Petrie followed behind her, stepping out of the building.

"Loose at will!", Ghost ordered, slinging a stone into the air. Her students mimicked her actions, sending projectiles into the air. The attacking pterosaurs nimbly dodged the missiles, swooping down to give their riders another chance to score a hit. "Down!", Ghost ordered as three arrows streaked towards them. "Ahh!", she screamed an arrow zipped past her, slicing into her thigh. "Where is that mage and the giant at?", she wondered aloud. A bolt of green lightning shot across the sky, striking one of the flyers. The flattooth's body shuddered and went limp as it fell towards the ground, disappearing from view behind the walls.

"Big guy coming through!", a loud voice shouted. Ghost turned her head to see a large brown-feathered Sickle Claw stepping through the gate. "Sorry I'm late, there were other large leaf lickers to deal with." He nocked an arrow to his massive longbow and drew it back past his ear. He loosed an arrow the size of many fastbiter's spears, sending it spinning towards it target. The massive bone arrowhead tore through the flyer's uplifted wings, sending up small red geyser as the rider was cut in half. His upper body plummeted to the ground as White Crest nocked another arrow. The flyer's wings shot open in a threat display as it shrieked in anger. Unfortunately for the flattooth, this act made him an easy target for the sharp-eyed White Crest. The flyer's shriek became a strangled cry as another arrow sunk deep into its chest, sending the dying reptile plummeting earthwards. The remaining flyer dove towards the ground.

"Scatter!", Ghost shouted, diving out of the swooping flyer's path. The other sharpteeth mimicked her, scurrying to safety as the large reptile touched down. The flattooth shrieked in anger as glared down at the fleeing fastbiters.

"Hey twig fingers.", White Crest said. Angered by the insult, the flyer shrieked at the large fastbiter. White Crest responded by loosing an arrow down the beast throat. Gagging, the flattooth staggered back, tossing its rider to the ground in the process. The rider gasped in fear, holding his hands up as the large flyer fell backwards onto him.

"Group one watch the walls, group two watch the sky!", Ghost ordered. With practiced ease, the sharpteeth in the fort assumed their positions, leaving the pack astounded by their efficiency. "New guys, with me!", she roared, gesturing towards the pack. Nervously nocking arrows and loading slings, the pack followed the Beaked Biter.

"I hope he is not okay nope nope nope.", Ducky said, nervously clutching her bow. The Tiny Biter crept behind her brother as the big Beaked Biter grasped his loaded sling. Ghost and the pack crept towards the fallen flyer. "Ah!", Ghost exclaimed as fast runner that had been riding the flyer swung his flat club out from underneath the flyer's wing. The fast runner rose to his feet and charged towards Ducky, weapon upraised. Ducky screamed, holding her arms up in front of her face as the leafeater swung the club downwards. Seeing his older sister in danger, Spike rushed forwards, catching the haft of the weapon in his hands. His eyes glowing red, he shoved the weapon towards its wielder. _Shunk!_ The flattooth gasped as the taiaha's spearhead was thrust into his belly, sending him falling backwards. The leafeater groaned as he clutched his punctured belly, attempting to staunch the blood flowing from the wound. Spike looked down at the mortally wounded fast runner, holding his captured weapon at the ready. Chuckling humorlessly, the flattooth drew a stone knife from his belt and attempted to sit up. _Thud!_ The blade of the taiaha descended onto his head, crushing his temple and popping his eye from its socket.


	14. Chapter 14

"Wow.", Petrie gasped as he stared at the old grey flyer who just struck the flatteeth down with a thunderbolt.

"Impressive, is it not?", the old sharptooth asked as she stood next to Petrie.

"How you do that?"

"I simply think of what I want to do, and if it is in my repertoire, I do it.", Grey Wing answered.

"Can me do that?"

"Probably not yet, young one.", Grey Wing chuckled. "Back to training."

"Excellent!", Ghost said as she patted Spike on the back as they stood over the fallen flyer and its rider. "I'd say you're ready to start practicing with real weapons, not just staffs."

"Uh?", Spike grunted, gesturing to the taiaha in his claws.

"Yes, that should do.", Ghost replied, handing her staff to another Short-Snout. Taking a padded arm guard from the fastbiter's grasp, she swiftly secured it to her left arm.

"We're about to be attacked!", an flyer screeched from overhead. "Nearly thirty sap suckers are advancing from Buzzer Street and will be here in but a couple of minutes and they've a partial grown thicknose with them!"

"Issue long spears to everyone and get them into formation!", the beaked biter ordered sharply.

"Yes ma'am!", the flyer replied. "Also Barracks 13 is under assault by two young threehorns and a clubtail."

"White Crest, go with this flyer and reinforce Barracks 13.", Ghost ordered.

"Yes Ma'am!", he shouted, saluting with his bow before following the flyer out of the barracks, quickly disappearing from view.

"I do not want be attackeded oh no no no.", Ducky said worriedly.

"Excuse me, girl.", Sharpeye said as he walked up to Ducky.

"Yes?", she asked nervously.

"I need you up there with me and the rest of the little biters.", he said, gesturing up towards the top of the barracks.

"Okay.", Ducky said as she followed the other little sharpteeth. The small predators swiftly advanced up the steps , taking positions along the outer wall of the barracks.

"So…what's going to happen?", Littlefoot asked as a fastbiter handed him a long, sharpened pole.

"You less experienced biters will form up behind us and start stabbing at those sap suckers when they come through the gate.", the red-feather fastbiter answered.

"Alright everyone!", Ghost shouted. "Shields to the front, pikes behind them!" The assembled fastbiters quickly arranged themselves into two rows as the beaked biter had ordered. "Form wall!", she ordered as the sharpteeth in front locked their hide shields together. "Pikes out!"

 _How'd we get into this?,_ Spike asked himself as his fingers flexed nervously around the haft of his club.

"Ahh…here come more leaf lickers.", Grey Wing said as she saw watched a small group of flatteeth, including a young thicknose, slowly advancing down the street.

"What we do?", Petrie asked fearfully.

"I want you, young one, to focus on those leaf lickers down there and focus.", the older sharptooth said.

"Okay me do that.", Petrie said, staring down at the approaching leafeaters.

"Now think of a painful moment in your life, something that made you very sad or angry."

"Okay.", Petrie said, closing his eyes.

"Now stretch out your hands and do something nasty to the enemy.", the old sharptooth said.

"Okay me try that.", Petrie replied, closing his eyes. Concentrating, he held his claws out in front of him.

Nothing happened.

"What me do now?", he asked nervously.

"Hmmm….", Grey Wing mused.

 _Ahhh, that's where the cowardly scum are hiding,_ the young thicknose thought as he looked at the barracks ahead of him and his group of leafeaters.

"Are we going to attack now, sir?", a fast runner standing next to him asked, resting his heavy club over his shoulder.

"Yes Oynx.", the thicknose replied. "Get everyone lined up."

"Yes sir!", Oynx said. "Everyone, line up!"

"Yes sir!", the assembled fast runners shouted as they arranged themselves into a roughly triangular formation.

"Everyone follow after me!", the thicknose shouted as he charged towards the barracks, with his whooping and shouting comrades rushing after him.

"How do you summon your little friend?", Grey Wing asked as she watched the flatteeth's approaching charge.

"Huh?", Petrie asked, confused.

"That two-wing glider that seems to appear at your call.", she clarified.

"Oh..um him just sort of appear when he feel like it."

"Did he always do that?", Grey Wing asked.

"Not really.", Petrie answered. "Me had to think really hard before."

"Hmm…perhaps if you go back to some of your more painful memories whilst at the same time thinking as you did when you used to summon your friend."

"Okay Petrie try that.", he said as he sat down on the floor and began to concentrate.

"Good.", Grey Wing said as she looked out the window. "You just keep doing what I told you with I handle a small problem our friends below seem to be having."

"Ahhhh!", the thicknose roared as he smashed through the gate of Barracks 46. Halting his charge briefly to get a fix on his surroundings, he prepared to charge into the line of pike-wielding sharpteeth.

 _Splat!_

"Gahhhh!", the thicknose shrieked as he pawed furiously at the greenish goo that had splattered across his face.

A faint sizzling sound could be heard as the large leafeater collapsed on the ground, still screaming in pain.

"Sir?", Oynx asked as he knelt down next to the fallen thicknose.

"Ahhhh….kill those damn sharpteeth!", the thicknose shouted in rage.

"Yes sir!", Oynx said as he saluted with his club. "Attack!", he shouted pointing at the sharpteeth with his club.

"Ahh!", Littlefoot shouted as fast runner impaled herself on his spear. Making a gurgling noise, she swiped out with her stick as her knees buckled.

"Littlefoot watch out!", Cera shouted as another fast runner swung a rock on the end of a vine over his head. Shoving her friend out of the way, she thrust her own pike out and skewered her adversary through his belly.

As the two leafeaters fell to the ground, another fast runner leapt over their heads and swung a pair of rattan sticks at the two distracted fast biters.

Littlefoot gasped in pain as the fast runner struck him on the thigh with one stick whilst cracking Cera across her face with the other.

"Why you…!", Cera shouted angrily, head-butting the fast runner in the face. _My head's not as hard as it used to be,_ she thought, wincing as she stepped back.

The fast runner staggered back, his face contorting with rage as blood flowed from his broken nose. Flourishing his sticks, he lifted his weapons over his head and prepared to strike again.

"Raaghr!", a voice behind Littlefoot and Cera roared. Looking behind them, the two saw Spike raising his taiaha over his head.

Shrieking in fear, the fast runner crossed his sticks over his to intercept the blow.

 _Crack!_

Spike's staff smashed through both of the sticks and hacked into the flattooth's skull, splattering blood and brains all over the three of them.

Ducky put another arrow to her bowstring and loosed it towards the attack leaf-eaters.

"Good hit!", Sharpeye congratulated as the projectile stuck in the face of a fast runner approaching the gate.

 _I hope this will all be over soon,_ Ducky thought to herself. _I don't want more of use to be hurted oh no no no._ She nocked another arrow and took aim.

"Caw!", a voice squawked overhead.

"Huh?", Ducky murmured as she looked up. "Ahh!", she screamed as two small flattoothed flyers dived down towards them. Drawing her bowstring back, she loosed the arrow just one of them ran into her.

"Ack.", the flattooth chocked out as the arrow pierced through his abdomen.

"Oof.", Ducky groaned as the mortally wounded flyer slammed into her, knocking her flat on her back. She attempted to get to her feet, only for the other flyer to land atop the pile and begin snapping at her. "Help!", she shirked as Sharpeye grabbed the flyer's beak from behind, jerking its head back. The sharptooth drew his shark-tooth dagger and slashed the leaf-eater's throat, sending a torrent of warm, crimson fluid cascading onto Ducky's face.

"You okay?", Sharpeye asked as he pulled the dying flyers off of her.

"Y-yes.", she answered shakily.

"Shouldn't be to much longer until this battle is over.", Sharpeye remarked, looking down at the dwindling number of flatteeth still fighting.

Ducky nodded as she wiped blood from her face.

Grey Wing chuckled as she looked down at the young thicknose she'd blinded. _I wonder how Petrie is doing?,_ she thought.

"Ah! What that?!", a voice behind her shrieked.

"Huh?", she asked, turning around swiftly.

"Me say what that!?", Petrie shouted frantically, gesturing shakily to the center of the room.

"Congratulations Petrie.", Grey wing said. "You've summoned something."

"What?!", Petrie shouted, shaking as he beheld the nightmarish-looking thing before him. A sinuous body connected to large eye that stared at him unblinking as it wobbled towards him on clawed, membranous wings.

"I don't know, I don't think who ever came up with this spell named it.", the older flyer replied.

"What me do?!", Petrie asked frantically.

"Firstly, you should calm young one.", she chuckled.

"Calm down?!"

"Yes Petrie. The summoned monster is completely under your control."

"It-it no hurt Petrie?", he asked nervously.

"Ha ha…no Petrie, now give it a command.", Grey Wing said as she looked out the window.

"What command?"

"Hmmm….that tiny biter that seems to be part of your pack seems to be in trouble.", Grey Wind said. "Perhaps you should send it to help her."

"Ducky?!", Petrie exclaimed, rushing to the window.

Sharpeye struggled underneath a flyer, both hands clutched around his antagonist's wrist as she tried to force her dagger into him. Glanced over, he saw another flyer striking Ducky over and over again with a rattan stick. "Ah!", he exclaimed as the flyer punched him in the face with her free hand. Growling angrily, he bit down on the flyer hand, his sharp teeth tearing into her fingers.

"Gah!", she screamed, dropping her knife.

"Die!", Sharpeye shouted as he drew a wooden dagger from a sheath on his leg, stabbing the blade deep into his enemy's belly. The flyer gasped in pain, but still clung to him as he struggled to get up.

Meanwhile, Ducky was desperately trying to shield her face from the flyer's blows. The flexible rod sting her arms as it connected with her flesh, but nothing felt broken.

Yet.

"Ah!", the flyer shrieked, dropping his stick as his hands flew up to his face.

"Huh?", Ducky asked as her enemy staggered back. Looking up she saw an odd looking flyer diving onto her would-be killer.

Still screaming, the flyer staggered backwards. The smaller flyer slammed into the flattooth's chest, knocking him backwards over the wall.

"Urk!", the other flyer gasped as Sharpeye plunged his dagger into his neck.

"Off!", Sharpeye shouted as he kicked the dying flyer off him. "You okay?", he asked Ducky.

"Y-yep yep yep.", she breathed out shakily.

"Excellent.", Ghost shouted, thrusting her spear into another runner's belly, grinning as she dropped to the ground. "Drive them back!".

The flatteeth, now on the defensive, quickly ushered the blinded thicknose into the streets surrounding the barracks. "How many of use remain?", the thicknose asked.

"Uhhh…", Oynx began staring to count those still alive, wincing as an arrow sunk into a fast runner's back. "We now number but ten, including you and I."

"How many of those cowards are there?"

"Many more than us.", Onyx said.

"Form use into a circle.", the thicknose sighed. "We'll take as many of them with us as we can."

"Yes sir!", Onyx said, saluting. "Circle! Everyone, form a circle!"

"Ha ha ha!", Grey Wing laughed as she observed a group of fastbiters approaching from the street. "It seems Green Scale has returned from his patrol."

"Huh?", Petrie asked, turning towards the direction Grey Wing was looking. Upon seeing the large Quilled Fastbiter from early stepping out from a group of nearly two dozen fastbiters, he looked back at Grey Wing. "What they doing?"

"Surrounding the pitiful remains of the attacking force and preparing to finish them off."

"Do they need do that?", Petrie asked sadly.

"Why would we spare them?", Grey Wing replied. "We're at war with an enemy who under the best of circumstances would be our natural prey."

"Loose!", Green Scale ordered loudly. He and the other dozen archers in the group released the bowstrings, sending a barrage of arrows whistling into their targets.

"Damn it!", Oynx muttered as his fellow fast runners fell to the ground, impaled with many arrows.

"Ahh!", the thicknose screamed as he felt his thick hide penetrated. "What was that!?"

"Archers.", Oynx answered. "Now it's just the two of us."

 _Twang!_

Oynx gasped as fell to his knees, his club dropping from his nerveless fingers.

"Oynx!", the thicknose bellowed. "What happened?!"

"Urk.", the fast runner grunted, coughing up blood as he lay dying. "Now it's just you..ugh."

"Ragh!", the thicknose bellowed as he charged towards where he thought the sharpteeth where.

 _Crash!_

"Ugh.", he moaned as ran blindly into something solid.

"Ha ha ha!", Grey Wing laughed heartily at the sight of the thicknose crashing blindly into outer wall of the barracks. Still laughing, she flew out the window and hovered over the stricken leafeater. Stretching out her hand, she launched a lightning bolt, striking her enemy in the back of the head.

"Ahhhhh!", the thicknose screamed as he collapsed, his body convulsing furiously.

"Move out!", Green Scale ordered as he rushed out the gate.

"Is it over?", Littlefoot asked no one in particular.

"It will be, once we deal with this last leaf licker.", said a yellowish Beak Biter as he discarded the splintered remains of his spear and drew a flat stone club from his flaxen belt.

Littlefoot sighed as he followed the rest of the sharpteeth out the gate and began surrounding the blinded thicknose.

"Cursed sharpteeth.", the thicknose muttered to himself as he staggered to his feet.

 _Thwap!_

"Ah!", he screamed as few more arrows punctured his hide.

"Keep attacking!", Green Scale ordered as he sent an arrow into thicknose's belly. "You two, stick those pikes into his gut!"

"Us?", Littlefoot and Cera asked simultaneously.

"Yes, you two."

The two looked at each other, then back at the thicknose. "Ready?", Cera asked Littlefoot, failing to hide the fear in her voice.

"Yes.", Littlefoot answered quietly, his fingers flexing nervously around his spear. Taking a deep breath, he charged forwards, jamming his pike into the thicknose, just in front of the flattooth's hind legs.

Bellowing in pain and anger, the thicknose attempted to turn towards him, only for Cera to stab her spear into his belly.

"Excellent!", Green Scale congratulated, loosing another arrow into the thicknose's neck. "Now just keep him there whilst we…"

 _Snap!_

"Uh-oh…", Littlefoot began as his and Cera's spears broke in half.

"Raaaagghh!", the thicknose bellowed in rage, rearing up on his hind legs.

"Scatter!", Ghost shouted as she and several others darted off to the side.

"Ahh!", Littlefoot screamed as he dropped his broken pike and dodged left of the charging thicknose, his tail feathers brushing along the flattooth's flank as he did so.

 _Whap!_

Littlefoot gasped as the thicknose's flailing tail struck him in side, driving the wind from his lungs.

"Littlefoot!", Cera shouted in alarm as she watched her friend fly through the air before crashing into the ground, hard.

"Uhhh.", Littlefoot moaned weakly as his vision became fuzzy. He saw Cera standing over him, a terrified expression her face. And then the world went black.


	15. Chapter 15

"Uhhh..", Littlefoot moaned as light began to fill his vision.

"Ahh.. you're awake.", a female voice next to him said.

"Whaa…?", Littlefoot muttered as the various fuzzy shapes around him began to clear.

"Whoa whoa, take it easy there, youngster.", the voice said again.

"Oooh….my head.", the former longneck moaned as he pushed himself up. Turning in the direction he heard the voice coming from, he saw a white feathered long-jawed fastbiter standing over him. "What happened?"

"That thicknose caught you with his tail and knocked you out for awhile.", the fastbiter answered.

"Huh?", Littlefoot said the events from earlier flooded back into his mind. "My friends.", he asked, worried.

"No need for concern young one.", the fastbiter said. "After you were knocked unconscious, the rest of the guard of our fair city swiftly drove the leaf licker's assault back."

"My I go see my friends now Miss…uh?"

"My name is Swift Claw.", the fastbiter said. "And, as a healer, I would have to recommend you stay here for now."

"I think I should…", he began, raising to a sitting position as his head was racked with pain. "Stay here."

"Ha ha.", Swift Claw chucked lightly. "Good choice young one, you've been out for three days."

Littlefoot's eyes widened. "Three days?!", he asked, incredulously looking down at the flat, reed-covered rock he was sitting on.

"Yes, three days.", the older fastbiter repeated.

"Where are my friends?", Littlefoot asked as he held his head, feeling the leaf bandages wrapped around it.

"Well, the glider is with Grey Wing and the others are training in the square.", Swift Claw answered. "Now, you just stay right here and when your better, you may return to them."

"Okay.", Littlefoot said as he laid back down.

"Good Petrie good.", Grey Wing praised as she watched Petrie concentrate on the strange winged eye from earlier. "Now move it around the room."

"Okay.", the young glider replied as he stared at the weird thing in front of him. "Move over there.", he ordered, pointing at the wall.

"Good.", Grey Wing repeated as the monster obeyed Petrie's command. "Now I believe that you can see through the eye of this thing."

"Really?", Petrie asked, looking into the weird thing's eye.

"Yes.", Grey Wing said. "Now focus, try to view the world through its eye."

"Okay me try.", Petrie replied, staring intently at the thing in front of him. To his shock his vison faded away, quickly replaced by what seemed to him to be his reflection. "Wow.", he whispered. He raised his right hand as the other him copied the motion perfectly.

"Judging by your reaction, I'd guess you have succeeded?", Grey Wing asked.

"Me think so.", the glider said, nodding his head. "Me see me."

"Good, now direct it to fly out the window."

"Okay.", Petrie said. "Go out there."

Grey Wing watched as the strange thing lifted itself into the air and flew out the window.

"Wow.", Petrie said as he observed the training ground from above. "Hay there Cera.", he said, watching Cera spar with Green Scale.

Cera took no notice of the bizarre thing hovering above her as she held her hide shield up to block a blow from Green Scale's rattan stick.

"Ha ha, not bad hatchling.", the older fast biter chuckled as he countered her retaliatory strike.

"I'll show you who's a hatchling.", Cera boasted, charging forwards.

"It would seem…", Green Scale began, pivoting to the left to push Cera past him. "That it is you."

"Uh oh.", Cera breathed out as she stumbled past the larger fastbiter, putting him at her back.

 _Whack!_

"Ow!", Cera exclaimed as Green Scale struck her across her tail with his stick.

"Don't allow advantage to your back, Cera.", Green Scale lectured. He turned towards Spike. "Now you, Spike."

Spike grunted in affirmation and laid the cloth bag that held his captured taiaha on the ground.

"Ready?", Green Scale asked, holding his shield and stick up.

Spike nodded as he lifted his shield up.

 _Whack!_

Spike's shield shuddered as he blocked Green Scale's blow. Drawing his stick back, he prepared to strike back.

 _Whoom!_

Their shields clashed as Green Scale rushed forwards, ramming his shield into Spike.

"Hmm.", Green Scale mused as he failed to force Spike back even a step.

Spike retaliated by giving the larger fastbiter a hard shove, sending him stumbling backwards.

Grasping his stick with both hands, he thrust the end at Green Scale's belly.

Green Scale parried with his shield, letting the force of the blow turn his shield to the right as he held his stick high.

 _Whack!_

Spike grunted as the rattan stick connected with the side of his head.

"Not bad Spike.", Green Scale praised.

Spike nodded as he rubbed the side of his head.

 _What's the odd smell I smell?,_ he asked himself as his nose detected an unusual odor.

Turning his head, he saw a bizarre looking flyer hovering over his head.

"Hey there Spike.", Petrie said as he looked at Spike through his conjured monster's eye.

"What kind of weird flyer is that?!", Cera asked, pointing at Petrie's conjuration.

"I don't know.", Green Scale said. "Perhaps one of Grey Wing's conjurations."

"One of who's what?", Cera asked, still staring at the thing.

"Grey Wing is our resident mage.", Green Scale said. "She lives up in that tower.", he said, pointing up on top of the barracks.

"Your what?", Cera asked, still confused.

"She's the one who called that lightning bolt down on that attacking flyer."

"I pretty sure this 'Grey Wing' has you fooled into believing some superstitious hooey.", Cera snorted out derisively.

"Uh.. Cera no believe in magiky stuff.", Petrie said to Grey Wing.

"Hmmm.", Grey Wing said. "Let's go rock this Cera's world."

"What you mean?", Petrie asked nervously.

"Watch this.", Grey Wing said, waving her hands in a series of gestures. The air began swirl around them faster and faster as Petrie looked on in amazement.

"Wow.", Petrie said, staring at the miniature cyclone in Grey Wing's hands.

"It gets even better, young one." Grey Wing said as she tossed the swirling nimbus from the window.

"Heads up, Cera.", Green Scale said. "Some superstitious hooey is heading our way."

"What are you talking about?", Cera asked in a huff as she turned around. "Oh my…", she whispered in shock as she beheld a small cyclone whirling above her. The swirling air descended to the ground as a clear shape began to emerge from the vortex.

"Hmm.", Green Scale said as a replica of Grey Wing composed of swirling air stepped towards him.

The figure held out its hand, gesturing towards Green Scale's stick. The fastbiter handed the rattan to the figure, who then pointed the stick at Cera.

"What's it want?", Cera asked nervously.

"It would seem that Grey Wing heard your remark and is challenging you to a duel.", Green Scale replied. "Your not scared, are you?"

Cera took a deep breath. "No I'm not!", she bellowed, charging at the figure.

"Well, she seems brave.", Grey Wing chuckled as she and Petrie watched Cera charge Grey Wing's conjuration.

"Wha?", Cera breath out as she charged through the swirling mass of air.

 _Whack!_

"Oww!", Cera said as the figure struck her on the tail.

"Ha ha ha!", Green Scale chuckled as Cera rubbed her sore tail.

"Heh heh.", Spike chuckled.

"I'd say she's learned not to doubt your power o mighty one.", Green Scale said, still laughing.

Meanwhile, Ducky and Sharpeye were standing along the top of the barracks wall.

"Ha ha!", Sharpeye laughed. "Seems Grey Wing showed that young'un!"

"I hope Cera is not hurteded, oh no no no.", Ducky said worriedly, clutching her bow nervously.

"Fret not Ducky, Grey Wing wouldn't seriously injure an ally over a petty insult.", Sharpeye said reassuringly.

"Have your heard how Littlefoot is doing?", Ducky asked. "I am worrieded I am I am."

"I suppose we could ask Green Scale about seeing him.", Sharpeye said.

"That would be nice yep yep yep.", Ducky said, cheering up a bit.

"Well let's go ask.", Sharpeye replied, leaning his javelin against the parapet and sauntering over to the ladder leaning to the ground.

"I do hope he is okay, yep yep yep.", Ducky said to herself as she stuck her bow in its sheath and climbed down the ladder after Sharpeye.

"Ha ha!", Grey Wing chuckled, patting Petrie on the head. "It seems I may have injured you friend's pride a bit."

"Don't worry.", Petrie said, stifling a giggle. "She hurt her brag bone before."

"Let's go down there and go with them to see about visiting your injured friend.", the old flyer said, securing a belt of hide about her waist. She dove out her window as Petrie went from being a glider to a flyer and followed her.

"Here comes Grey Wing.", Green Scale said, looking up at the two flyers descending from the tower.

"Hi Petrie!", Ducky said excitedly as she ran towards the group.

"Hey Ducky!", Petrie said, his form shifting back into a glider's as he touched the ground.

"Hello Green Scale.", Grey Wing said. She turned towards Cera. "Hello o doubting one."

Sharpeye chuckled as Cera harrumphed in annoyance. "Green Scale?", he asked.

"Yes?", the fastbiter responded.

"The young one here wishes to see their pack mate."

"Me too yep yep yep!", Ducky chimed in, nodding her head vigorously.

"Well go right ahead, he's in the infirmary.", Green Scale replied. "Here I'll take you."

"Alright!", Cera exclaimed happily as she and the others followed after Green Scale.

"Feel any pain?", Swift Claw asked as she ran her hands across Littlefoot's rib cage.

"A little.", her patient groaned.

"Someone up there must love you.", Swift Claw said putting up at infirmary's stone ceiling. "Near as I can tell, you've one fractured rib and some nasty bruises."

"Is that good or bad?", Littlefoot asked hesitantly.

"It's a lot better than it could have been, child."

"Littlefoot!", a voice called out.

"Cera?", Littlefoot asked weakly, straining to sit upright.

"Ha ha you're alright.", the long-jawed laughed happily as she darted around Swift Claw, embracing her friend.

"Ow.", Littlefoot moaned as Cera squeezed him a little too hard.

"Sorry.", Cera apologized as she let go him.

"You okay!", Petrie exclaimed as he landed on Littlefoot's head.

"Yes you are!", Ducky said, smiling as hoped up onto his bed and hugged him. "Yep yep yep!"

"Ye.", Spike grunted in agreement as he to embraced his injured friend.

"Good day young one.", Green Scale said from the doorway. "How are feeling?"

"I've felt better…sir.", Littlefoot said quietly.

"Nothing a little drilling won't fix.", he said, holding out his hand.

"Sir can I speak to?", Swift Claw asked. "Outside?"

"Okay.", Green Scale replied tersely as he followed the female out into the hall.

"We thought you were really badly hurteded oh yes yes yes.", Ducky said.

"I felt like it to.", Littlefoot groaned.

"Here this should help a bit.", Grey Wing said, producing a handful of dried leaves from a pouch on her belt. She snapped her talons, sending a shower of green sparks that caused the leaves in her hand to catch fire.

"What is that?", Littlefoot asked, curious.

"A rather cheerful plant, know to some as rope grass.", she answered, inhaling the smoke from the smoldering leaves, before holding the bundle out to Littlefoot.

"Okay.", Littlefoot said, inhaling some of the smoke, sighing as his pain lessened somewhat.

"What are they talking about out there?", Cera asked as she turned her head at the sound of voices growing louder in the hall.

"I'd say Green Scale wants you back in action immediately, what with the leaf lickers still occupying parts of the city.", Grey Wing said. "And I'd wager Swift Claw is saying you should stay here a little longer, considering you've been out for three days."

"I wish we could hear what they are saying.", Littlefoot said.

"Don't worry they won't argue long.", Grey Wing said. "See?", she said as the two entered the room.

"I still say having him return to the fight at this stage is unwise.", Swift Claw said to Green Scale.

"We need all the help we can get.", Green Scale said. He looked at Littlefoot. "Can you stand?"

"I think.", Littlefoot answered, slowly swinging his legs over the side of the slab he lay on. He grimaced as his feet touched the floor, his leg muscles cramping up after staying immobile so long. Slowly, he began pushing himself to his feet.

"See?", Green Scale said as Littlefoot slowly stood up. "He's fine."

"With your permission sir, I'd like to take this little pack here out on patrol.", Grey Wing asked.

"Why do you think him tramping out on the streets in his condition would be a good idea?", Swift Claw asked her.

"It'll keep him contributing to the fight and give him a somewhat less strenuous task to do until he's better healed.", Grey Wing answered.

"Alright then.", Green Scale said. He turned back to Littlefoot. "Grab your gear solider, you've got patrolling to do."


End file.
